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^IMiliHim; 




HISTORY 



OF THE 

SECOND WAR 

BETWEEN THE 

UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN; 

BY JOHN LEWIS THOMSON. 

TO WHICH ARE ADDED, 

SKETCHES OF THE MILITARY OPERATIONS OF THE UNITED 
STATES TO THE PRESENT TIME, INCLUDING 

BLACK HAWK^S WAR, 
THE SEMINOLE WARS IN FLORIDA, 

AND THE 

AYAE AVITII MEXICO. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
H G A N AND T H I\I P S N. 

1848. 



t-35^ 



Entered, iifcnnliii!; to Act of Congres'S in the ye;ir 1818, by 

II G A N & 1' H O M P S O N , 

in the Odlcc of the Clerk of the District Court of the United States in and for the Eastern Dis- 
trict of Pennsylvania. 



STERKOTYPED fSV GEOIUJE CIIAULKS, 
NO. 9 UrcKCiE STREET, Til ILADELl'lIIA. 




BY THE EDITOR. 



Mr. Thomson's History of the Second War between 
Great Britain and the United States, was written and pub- 
lished very soon after the termination of that eventful con- 
test. The author had the advantage of abundant resources 
for his work. Besides the great mass of official documents 
at his command, he was in possession of numerous letters 
and journals from officers who had served in thtwar, and he 
was personally acquainted with many of the conspicuous 
actors in that grand drama. 

These circumstances, known to the public at the time, 
gave authority to his w^ork, and it passed rapidly through 
six editions. The copyright having passed into the hands 
of the present publishers, they determined on republishing 
it, with the addition of a history of the military transactions 
of this country down to the present time, including the War 



IV 



PREFACE. 



with Black Hawk, the Seminole Wars in Florida, and the 
War with Mexico. 

In editing Thomson's History, it was thought expedient 
to add a chapter on the Creek War, conducted by General 
Jackson, and to enlarge the account of that great com- 
mander's operations in defense of New Orleans. 

The history of the subsequent military operations of the 
country has been drawn from official documents, and the 
personal narratives of actors in the stirring scenes narrated. 

A work of this description has long been demanded as a 
contribution to the general history of the republic. In pre- 
paring it for publication, the editor has endeavoured to de- 
serve the public approbation, by care and fidelity in every 
part of the work. 





v,^r^ 



SECOND AYAK WITH GREAT BRITAIN. 



CHAPTER I. COMMENCEMENT OF THE TTAR, 13 

IT. NAVAL CAAIPAIGN OF 1812, 42 

ITT. HOSTILITIES OF THE CUEEK INDIANS, CI 

IV. OPERATIONS OF TAVLOR AND WINCHESTER ON THf: NORTH-WESTERN 

FRONTIER, GO 

V. OPERATIONS OF fiENERALS HARRISON AND HOPKINS, 77 

VI. OPERATIONS ON THE NORTHERN FRONTIER IN 1S12, 82 

VII. NAVAL CAMPAIGN OF 1812, CONTINUED, 112 

VIII. OPERATIONS OF WINCHESTER AND HARRISON IN THE NORTII-WCST, . 125 

IX. COMMENCE.MENT OF THE CAMPAIGN OF 1913, 146 

X. OPERATIONS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER, 188 

XI. OPERATIONS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN ARMY. BATTLE OF LAKE 

ERIE. BATTl OF THE THAJIES, 202 

XII. OPER.' TIONS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER, 225 

XIII. COMMENCEi>-ENT OF THE NAVAL CAMPAIGN OF 1S13, 247 

XIV. OPERATIONS ON THE DELAWARE AND CHESAPEAKE BAYS, 263 

XV. OPERATIONS OF THE BRITISH ON LONG ISLAND SOUND, , 288 

XVI. NAVAL OPERATIONS IN 1813, 300 

(V) 



VI CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XVII. COMMENCEMENT OF THE CAMPAIGN OK 1814, 328 

XVIII. OPERATIONS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER, 349 

XIX. FURTHER OPERATIONS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER, 384 

XX. INVASION OF VERMONT. FURTHER OPERATIONS ON THE NIAGARA 

FRONTIER, 400 

XXI. THE CREEK WAR, 421 

XXII. CAPTURE OF WASHINGTON. DEFENSE OF NEW ORLEANS, 434 

XXIII. CLOSE OF THE NAVAL CAMPAIGN OF 1814, 486 



THE FIRST SEMINOLE W^AR, 499 

BLACK HAWK'S WAR, 507 

THE SECOND SEMINOLE WAR, 515 

■ ^ ^ ♦ ^ » 



WAR WITH MEXICO. 



CHAPTER I. COMMENCEMENT OK THE MEXICAN WAR, 509 

II. BATTLES OF THE RIO GRANDE, 524 

III. CAPTURE OF BARITA AND MATAMORAS, 506 

IV. STORMING OF MONTEREY, 576 

V. BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA, 594 

VI. OCCUPATION OF CALIFORNIA AND NEW MEXICO, 609 

VII. CAPTURE OF VERA CRUZ, 616 

VIII. MARCH TO THE CAPITAL, 626 

IX. CAPTURE OF MEXICO, 639 




OKIfAMENTAL HEADPIECE, 

BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE, 

COLONEL CASS, 

BATTLE OF MAGtJAGA, 

DETROIT, 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE, . 

ESCAPE OF THE CONSTITUTION . 

COMMODORE HULL, 

UNITED STATES AND MACEDONIAN, 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE,. 

ORNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, 

GENERAL HARRISON, 

DEFENSE OF FORT HARRISON, 

ORNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, , 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE, 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE, . 

DEFENSE OF OGDENSBURG, 

BATTLE OF aUEENSTOWN, , 

FORT NIAGARA, 

INDIGNATION OF THE TROOPS, 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE, 

COMMODORE BAINBRIDOE, . 

CONSTITUTION AND JAVA, 

MASSACRE AT THE RITER RAISIN, . 



PAGE 
13 

15 

23 

29 

35 

42 

43 

47 

58 

61 

65 

66 

69 

76 

77 

82 

84 

88 

99 

107 

112 

118 

120 

131 



(vii) 



Vlll ILLUSTRATIONS. 



PAGE 
SIEGE OF FOIIT MEIGS, ...... . 141 

OHNAMEXTAL HEADPIECE, . ...... 146 

COMMODOllE CUAUXCET, ...... . 148 

CAPTUIIE OF FORT GEOIIGE, ....... 165 

IJEFKNSE OF SACKETt's IIAIIIIOUR, ...... 177 

SOUTU-EAST VIEW OF SACKETt's UAKUOUU, ..... 181 

hetreat of the iihitisu from sackett's harbour, .... 184 

orxajikstal headpiece, ........ 188 

young cornplanteh, ........ 194 

attack on black rock, ........ 195 

tecumseh, ...... ... 202 

battle of lake erie, . . . . . . . .211 

commodore perry, ........ 214 

governor shelby, . ....... 216 

general harrison crossing the thames, ..... 224 

ornamental headpiece, . ....... 225 

general macomb, ........ 230 

general ripley, ......... 233 

general wilkinson, ..... ... 235 

burning of lewistown, ....... 242 

ornamental tailpiece, ....... 246 

ornamental headpiece, ........ 247 

hornet and peacock, ........ 249 

gallant action of the general armstrong, ..... 259 

enterprise and boxer, .... ... 262 

ornamental headpiece, ........ 263 

attack on havre de grace, ....... 271 

burning of fredericktown, ..... 275 

ornamental tailpiece, ...... 287 

ornamental headpiece, . ..... 288 

ornamental tailpiece, • . . . . . 299 

ornamental headpiece,. ..... 300 

cruise of the argus, ...... 301 

captain allen, ....... 305 

CAPTAIN PORTKR's CRUISE IN THE PACIFIC, .... 308 

COMMODORE PORTER, ...... 312 

PEACOCK AND EPERVIER, ..... 317 

COMMODORE WARRINGTOWN, . . OOf) 

WASP AND AVON, ..... 324. 

CAPTAIN BLAKELY, . , ^ ot)C 

ORNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, Oor( 



ILLUSTRATIONS. IX 



I'AOt; 

ounamentai. headpiece, . . ...... 328 

attack ox oswego, . . . . . . . . 336 

BUnNIXG OF DOVEH, ........ 342 

OHNAMEXTAL TAILPIECE, ....... 348 

ORXAMENTAL HEADPIECE, ........ 349 

BATTLE OF CHIPPEWA, ....... 355 

COLONEL MILLER AT LUNDt's LANE, ...... 370 

GEXEBAL MILLER, ........ 374 

ORNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, ....... . 383 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE, ....... 384 

GENERAL GAINES, ....... . . 390 

DEFENSE OF FORT ERIE, ....... 393 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE, . ....... 400 

BURLINGTON BAT, ........ 406 

BATTLE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN, ....... 410 

COMMODORE MCDONOUGH, . ...... 413 

GENERAL BROWN, ...... . . 417 

GENERAL JACKSON, . ....... 421 

THE PROPHET, ......... 425 

WEATHERFOHD, . ....... 432 

ORNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, ........ 433 

BLADENSBURG, ........ 434 

COMMODORE BARNEY, ........ 439 

FORT M<^HENnT, ........ 443 

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT M<^HENRT, ...... 450 

FORTIFYING OF NEW ORLEANS, ...... 480 

BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, ....... 48.3 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE, ....... 487 

HORNET AND PENGUIN. ........ 493 

ESCAPE OF THE HORNET, ....... 495 

FRANCIS HILLISHAGO, . ....... 499 

ORNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, . . .... 504 

BLACK HAWK, ....... . . 507 

GENERAL SCOTT, . . . , . . . .511 

OSCEOLA, .......... 515 

MASSACRE OF DADe's DETACHMENT, ...... 519 

MICANOPE, ......... 521 

BATTLE OF OKEE-CHO-BEE, ....... 529 

BATTLE OF PALAKLAKLAH A, ....... 535 

ORNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, .„..,.. 538 

CORPUS CHRISTI, ......... 541 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



PAGE 
POINT ISAHEL, ....•••• ^'*^ 

CAPTURE OF CAPTAIN THOHNTOX, ....••• ^^^ 



FOllT miOWN, 

BATTLE OF PALO ALTO, 



TACPBATA, 
CHAPULTEPEC 



556 

557 



DEATH OF llIXfiGOLn, .....••• 559 

OHNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, ........ 565 

OU.VAMEXTAL HEADPIECE, ... .... 56G 

MEXICAN GENTLEMEN, ........ 575 

ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECE, ....... 576 

THE AMEUU'AN ARMY ENTERING MARIN, ON ITS MARCH TO MONTEREY, . . 578 

STORMING OF FORT TENERIA, ....... 580 

STORMING OF MONTEREY, ........ 582 

THE IIISUOP'S PALACE, ........ 586 

STREET FIGHT ON GENERAL WORTh'h SIDE, ..... 591 

WORTH AT MONTEREY, . ... ... 593 

SANTA ANNA, ......... 594 

BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA, ....... 599 

GENERAL TAYLOR AT BUENA TISTA, ...... 601 

HEAD MULETEER AND SERVANT, ...... 608 

GENERAL KEARNT, ....... . . 609 

CAPTURE OF PANCCO, ...... . . 615 

GENERAL M^ORTH, ......... 616 

SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ, ....... . 619 

AMERICAN FLEET SALUTING THE CASTLE AFTER ITS SURRENDER, . . . 623 

MEXICANS LEAVING VERA CRUZ, ..... . 625 

COMMENCEMENT OF THE GUERILLA WARFARE, ..... 626 

GENERAL TWIGGS, ........ 628 

JALAPA, ....,..,., 630 

BATTLE OF CERHO GORDO, ...... 631 

CAPTURE OF TUSPAN, •••... 632 

RATTLE OF CHURUUUSCO, ••.... 634 

MEXICAN OFFICER, ....... 638 

CITY OF MEXICO, ..... 639 

. 645 
647 

PUEBLA DE LOS ANOELOS, ...... 651 

ORNAMENTAL TAILPIECE, ..... 656 




CHAPTER I. 

About the close of the year 1811 the 
Indian affairs on the southern and north- 
western frontiers of the United States 
assumed an aspect of a much more alarm- 
ing nature than that which had been 
marked by any of the previous depreda- 
tions of the neighbouring tribes. Inces- 
sant incursions were followed by the 
extinction of whole families, and the seve- 
ral nations seemed emulous of excelling 
each other in acts of the greatest horror. 
An unextinguishable hostility was mani- 
fested by the most powerful chiefs and 
warriors, whose enmity towards the fron- 
tier inhabitants was excited, and kept 
alive by an industrious circulation of 

(13) 



14 EXPEDITION TO PROPHET S TOWN. 



inflammatory addresses, and alluring gifts. The conduct of the 
British traders was far from being consistent with the pacific 
disposition Avhich their government had been professing ; and the 
facility with which the Indians became possessed of every de- 
scription of offensive weapons, known to be beyond their means, 
either to manufacture or to purchase, led to suspicions of their 
having been supplied by its appointed agents. The result of 
investigations which were made by the governors of Ohio, and 
of the Michigan and Illinois territories, gave strong confirmation 
to these suspicions, and it was ascertained that great quantities 
of missiles, arms, and ammunition, had been delivered to the dif- 
ferent nations, contiguous to the British posts. 

The influence of a Shawanese, who styled himself " the Pro- 
phet," and who neglected no means to excite the most violent 
animosities against the people of the United States, had produced 
among the Indians on the borders of the Wabash, a disposition to 
massacre and plunder, to so enormous an extent, that the vigorous 
interference of the government was no longer to be delayed. Mea- 
sures were therefore immediately adopted, in conjunction with 
Governor William H. Harrison, to repel by force, any further out- 
rages which could not be prevented by amicable treaty. The 
militia of Indiana, and a regiment of United States infantry, 
commanded by Colonel John P. Boyd, were accordingly ordered 
to march, under Governor Harrison, to the Prophet's town, to 
demand restoration of the plunder which the Indians had com- 
mitted, and io reduce them to terms, which would secure the future 
peace of that territory. In the month of November, 1811, this body 
of troops were within four miles of the Prophet's town (having 
already marched thirty-four days) before the Indians had any 
expectation of seeing them ; when one of the chiefs came out, and 
proposed that Governor Harrison should encamp near them until 
morning, at which time the Prophet would willingly enter into a 
treaty of peace. This proposal was agreed to, and the army were 
encamped in line of battle, with orders to keep on their accoutre- 
ments, and to lie upon their arms, so that they might be ready 
for action without one moment's delay. At four o'clock on the 
morning of the seventh, the camp was attained with great fury 
by the savages at one point, where the bayonet, however, soon 



BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE. 



15 




Battle of Tipptcanoe 

dispersed them, and where three Indians were found within the 
line of sentinels seeking^ the commander. The morning: was 
excessively dark, and the men could only be distinguished by the 
watchword, or the flashes of the musketry. By the aid of this 
momentary light, the Indians were seen crowding into the camp ; 
but they were entirely routed by several vigorous and intrepid 
charges. The conduct of Colonel Boyd and the 4th regiment, 
after the action had become more general, intimidated and put the 
Indians to flight ; at the dawn of day they were closely pursued, 
and numbers of them killed. The cavalry were now first brought 
into action, but the savasres fled from them in grreat confusion, 
abandoned their town, into which they had been driven, and 
escaped across the river. Fifty-three Indians were lying dead 
about the encampment, and their loss, in killed aiid wounded, 
was estimated at one hundred and fifty. Of the 4th regiment, 
seventy-seven were killed and wounded. The loss of the whole 
force amounted, from the most accurate account, to one hundred 
and eighty-seven. Most of the militia under Governor Harrison, 
behaved with great courage and bravery ; but to Colonel Boyd, 
whose experience in the Mahrattah (India) service, well qualified 
him for a combat with the Prophet's-warriors, is much of the 



=1^, 



16 THE PRESIDENT S MESSAGE- 



success of this battle to be attributed. Tranquillity being now 
restored to the territory of Indiana, the troops returned to Fort 
Harrison — distance one hundred miles — and the militia to their 
homes. Many months had not elapsed, however, before the Pro- 
phet, in connexion with Tecumseh, a chief of great valour, and of 
equal ambition, threatened a renewal of hostilities, not only against 
the inhabitants of Indiana, but of the adjacent territories.* 

To o-uard ao-ainst future encroachments from the savas^es, and 
to protect such of the inhabitants as had yet escaped their fury, 
it was necessary that the peace establishment should be aug- 
mented, and new regiments raised, of a nature to cope with the 
Indian warfare. Indications of hostility to the interests of the 
United States were about this time evinced in the conduct, as 
well of the British ministry, as of their public ships of war on the 
American coast, in neutral ports, and on the ocean. 

In the event of a more decided character being given to this 
state of relations between the United States, Great Britain, and 
the Indians, the necessity of a larger army would become still 
more urgent. In providing against these threatening evils, the 
second session of the twelfth Congress had been protracted to an 
unusual length, and on finding remonstrances to be unavailing, 
the president, on the first of June, 1812, laid before the two 
houses a detail of the various enormities committed agfainst this 
nation by the British government and the officers representing it. 
Their immediate attention was required to this subject, as it was 
thought necessary, by the greatest proportion of the people, that 
such encroaching injuries should at last be resisted by the most 
elTectual means. Documents being in possession of the executive 
which placed the insulting practices of the British, against the 
commerce and national honour of the United States, beyond all 
doubt, the communication set forth, "that the cruisers of that 
nation had been in the continued practice of violating the Ameri- 



* Although the affair on the Wabash, which has been distinsruished by the name of 
"The Battle of Tippecanoe," was previous to the declaration of war, it is indispensable 
to the introduction to its history that it should be at least briefly referred to— the limits 
of this work do not admit of as full a description of a victory which has reflected so 
much lustre on the American character, as the author is desirous to give, or the reader 
perhaps to receive. 



THE PRESIDENT S MESSAGE. 



17 



can flag on the great highway of nations, and of seizing and 
carrying off persons saihng under it; not in the exercise of a bel- 
Hgerent right, founded on the law of nations— against an enemy, 
but of a municipal prerogative over British subjects; 

"That they had been in the practice also of violating the peace 
and the rights of our coasts by hovering over and harassing our 
entering and departing commerce ; and that to the most insulting 
pretensions they had added the most lawless proceedings in our 
very harbours, and wantonly spilt American blood within the 
sanctuary of our territorial jurisdiction ; 

"That they were aiming to sacrifice our commercial interests, 
and were laying waste our neutral trade, not because we supplied 
their enemy, but by carrying on a war against our friendly com- 
merce that they might themselves pursue an intercourse with their 
enemy ; 

"That they were plundering our vessels on the high seas 
under pretended blockades, without the necessary presence of an 
adequate force to maintain them, and that to these transcendent 
acts of injustice the cabinet of Great Britain added at length the 
sweeping system of hlockade under the name of orders in council, 
which had been moulded to suit its political views, its commer- 
cial jealousies, or the avidity of British cruisers ; 

"That, at the very moment wdien their public minister was 
holding the language of friendship and inspiring confidence in 
the sincerity of the negotiations with which he was charged, a 
secret agent of his government was employed in intrigues, having 
for their object a subversion of our government and a dismember- 
ment of our Union ; 

"That the warfare which was just renewed by the savages on 
our frontiers, which spared neither age nor sex, and was distin- 
guished by features peculiarly shocking to humanity, could not 
be referred to without connecting their hostility with the influence 
of British traders and garrisons, nor without recollecting the 
authenticated examples of the interpositions of the oflicers and 
agents of that government. And, 

"That in fine, on the side of Great Britain, there was a state 
of war against the United States ; and on the side of the United 
States a state of peace towards Great Britain." 



b2 



18 GENERAL HCJLL S EXPEDITION. 



The committee of foreign relations, to whom this message was 
referred, reported a manifesto to the House, in which, after recapi- 
tulating these grievances, they recommended, as the only mea- 
sure to prevent future aggression, an immediate appeal to arms ; 
and on the 18th of June, an act was passed declaring war against 
the kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the dependencies 
thereof; which received the executive sanction. 

A small army, consisting of the 4th regiment of infantry, and 
three regiments of Ohio volunteers, was ordered, under the com- 
mand of Brigadier-General Hull, to protect the frontiers against 
the incursions of the savages. After the declaration of w^ar, this 
force being nearest to the most convenient point of invasion, was 
directed to repair to the town of Detroit, on the river of that 
name, and opposite Sandwich, a beautiful and extensive village 
in Upper Canatla. 

On the 5th of July, after a tedious and fatiguing march of 
thirty-five days, during which he was obliged to fortify his camp, 
at every position which he occupied at night, to prevent a sur- 
prise from a party of Indians, who, aided by the British, had 
closely and constantly reconnoitered him, and who had planned 
an attack upon Detroit, which the approach of his army frustrated, 
he arrived at that post with two thousand five hundred men. 
He had no sooner garrisoned the American shore of the Detroit, 
than the British began to throw up breastworks and to erect bat- 
teries on the opposite side. The first of these was destroyed by 
a w^ell-directed fire from the fort, and the persons employed at it 
were obliged precipitately to retire ; a second, which was situated 
about three miles l^elow, was destroyed in like manner, by a few 
pieces of cannon despatched for that purpose, and worked witli 
so much skill that the enemy was compelled to abandon his de- 
sign of fortifying at that point. 

Active preparations were now making for an immediate inva- 
sion of Canada; boats were constructed capable of containing a 
regiment, and the passage of the whole army was to be effected 
at the same instant — the width of the river being favourable to 
the crossing of the troops, either alcove or below the point selected 
to oppose their la,nding, the enemy was allowed, on his third 
attempt, to erect, without annoyance, a battery of seven small 



GENERAL HULLS EXPEDITION. 19 



cannon and two mortars. Every preparation having been com- 
pleted, the eml^arkation took place on the 12th. The army landed 
on the Canadian shore, above the fort, and entered Sandwich 
wdthout opposition. Tiiose of the inhabitants who had not been 
compelled to repair to the defence of Maiden, were without arms, 
and therefore made no show of resistance to the Americans, by 
whom they were honourably respected in their property and per- 
sons. Possession was had, in a few days, of the whole country 
from the river Thames, or la Tranche, so called from the even- 
ness and beauty of its bank, to a rivulet within five miles of 
Maiden, wdiither the British regulars and Canadian militia, with 
several hundred Indians, had retired. 

Prior to the occupation of Sandwich, however, the enemy had 
removed his most valuable stores, and whilst he was throwing up 
breastworks, and apparently fortifying that place for defence, the 
largest division of his troops was employed in transporting them 
to Amherstburg. 

If General Hull's instructions admitted of his strikino- a blow 

o 

immediately on his arrival at Detroit, a favourable opportunity 
was culpably neglected. But, on hearing a proposition from his 
officers to cross the river' below, to cut off the communication be- 
tween the two divisions at Sandwich and Amherstburo-, and 
suddenly to rush upon and carry Fort Maiden by storm, he alleged 
the necessity of waiting for positive orders for the invasion of 
Canada before he could embarlc his troops for that purpose. 
Whilst the force at Maiden was weakened by the employment 
of the men at Sandwich, this project might have been carried 
into effect, and his army, besides prisoners, would have obtained 
a large accession of stores and ammunition. When he arrived 
at Sandwich, the British army, with these and other stores, and 
an augmented Indian force, had collected at, and were placing 
Maiden in a state to sustain a siege. To attempt the reduction 
of that garrison by storm, after the enemy had effected this con- 
centration of his forces, it was necessary to proceed against it with 
a train of battering cannon, and ladders of a sufficient height and 
number to scale the walls at various points. The American army 
had neither of these at that time in readiness, and its operations 
were delayed for one month in preparing two twenty-four pounders 



20 LOSS OF MICIIILIMACKINAC. 

and three howitzers. In this interval such advantages were gained 
as result from subsisting on the resources of the enemy's country, 
and the capture of some camp articles, and a small supply of arms, 
by reconnoitering parties. 

Meanwhile, the British and Indians at St. Josephs, had been 
making preparations for an attack on Fort Michilimackinac,-^ (a 
position on an island of that name and in General Hull's com- 
mand,) and on the 16th, four days after the occupation of Sand- 
wich by the troops of the United States, the British embarked at 
St. Josephs, and reached the island early on the following morn- 
ing. Their force, consisting of three hundred and six white 
troops, and seven hundred and iifteen Indians, was commanded 
by Captain Roberts, of the British regulars, who sent in a pri- 
soner to inform the commandant that if any resistance was made 
the garrison and inhabitants would be indiscriminately put to the 
sword. Tlie inhabitants knowing that the fort had but fifty- 
seveti men for its defence, escaped from the island, or fled for 
refuge to the enemy, in great numbers; but many of them had 
no opportunity to do either, and were obliged to remain and abide 
the issue of the day. The commandant of the garrison. Lieute- 
nant Porter Hanks, of the artillery, determined to give as gallant 
a resistance to the assailants as his small force would allow him. 

The island of Michilimackinac is about nine miles in circum- 
ference, of irregular form' and broken surface. It is separated 
from the main land by a strait of about seven miles broad, its 
greatest breadth is three miles, and its elevation above the lake, 
on its highest ground, about one hundred and sixty-eight feet. A 
proposal was made to government, in 1797, to erect a citadel on 
this elevation, which w^ould be impregnable. Two square stone 
houses, united by a stockade, stand in the rear of the fort, wdiich 
is situated on a bluff rock rising from the water, but is entirely 
overlooked by the high ground at a distance of six hundred yards. 
The island itself is of a circular form, highest in the centre, and 
resembling a turtle's baclv ; from which circumstance it is said to 
have taken its name — (Michilimackinac, or the Turtle.) 

The enemy had landed on the back part of the island, and urged 



* Pronounced — Mackinaw. 



LOSS OF MICHILIMACKINAC. 21 

his approach within cannon shot of the fort, where he gained the 
eminence commanding- it, and from which he directed a piece of 
heavy cannon against its most defenceless side. The Indians 
were arranged on the edge of an adjoining wood. The British 
commandant now sent a flag, with a demand for the snrrender of 
the fort and island, and communicated the first intelligence which 
the o-arrison received of the declaration of war. The movement 
of the British and Indians had been nntil this moment considered 
as one, among the many outrages, to which the frontier of that 
neighbourhood had been exposed, and the American commandant 
had resolved to shut himself up and defend the fortress to the 
very last extremity, though it should result in the total annihila- 
tion of his force. But, on being informed of the actual state of 
hostilities, he was aware that if he held out, the enemy, whose 
present number could not be effectually opposed, might be largely 
reinforced, and that the fall of the garrison would be followed by 
the threatened indiscriminate slaughter, as w^ell of the soldiers 
composing it, as of the non-combatant inhabitants of the island. 
The only measure which could save them from the brutal mas- 
sacre of the savages, was a surrender of the fort to the British, 
and Lieutenant Hanks very prudently entered into terms of 
capitulation, in which he secured a promised protection to all 
private property, though he put the enemy in possession of a for- 
tress susceptible of being rendered the strongest in America. 

It will be observed that the loss of Michilimackinao took place 
on the 17th of July, and that General Hull, already apprized of 
the war, arrived at Detroit on the 5th — and the reader will judge 
whether this intelligence could not have been transmitted to 
Michilimackinac, a distance of two hundred and fifty-four miles, 
and whether that post ought not to have been immediately rein- 
forced. The enemy had knowledge of the existence of hostilities, 
through the activity of persons concerned in the North-west Fur 
Company, nine days jyreceding the arrival of the American dis- 
posables, whilst the American garrison was suffered to remain in 
ignorance for twelve days after — and to the Adgilance of one side, 
and the tardiness or negligence of the other, is this disaster to be 
ascribed. 

Preparations were still going on at Sandwich for an attempt 



22 HULL AT SANDWICH. 

on Maiden, when the army were informed of the affair at Michi- 
hmaclunac hy the capture of two vessels, in which the prisoners 
taken there had been embarked. Unless the contemplated attack 
on Maiden sliould result in the success of the American arms, the 
situation of the troops would become critical in the extreme ; the 
possession of Michilimackinac gave the enemy many decided ad- 
vantages, and if the capture of that post should be followed up by an 
assault on Fort Chicago, all the fortified stations west of Detroit 
would be in his hands, and the whole of his Indian forces might 
be thrown upon that frontier. Detroit would be an easy conquest, 
and the American army might be so encompassed that its retreat 
would be impossible. The Indians from the shores of the north- 
western lakes were already released from constraint, and the 
British commander was collecting large bodies of them to move 
down upon Detroit and the intermediate garrisons. Depending 
on the arrival of reinforcements, however, for which, in anticipa- 
tion of these events General Hull had despatched numerous 
expresses ; and being assured of the importance of the occupation 
of Amherstburg, he remained at Sandwich, carrying on an ex- 
cursive war by small parties, and reconnoitering the enemy's 
outposts w4th incessant vigilance. Skirmishes were frequent. In 
one of them Colonel M'Arthur made capture of a quantity of 
arms, ammunition, flour, and other provisions, and upwards of 
one thousand blankets. 

Colonel Cass, of the 3d regiment of Ohio volunteers, was or- 
dered with a detachment of two hundred and eighty men, to 
reconnoiter an advanced post of the enemy upon a long bridge, 
crossing Riviere Aiix Canards, or the River of the Ducks, about 
four miles from Fort Maiden. A company of riflemen, com- 
manded by Captain Robinson, was concealed near the bridge, 
with directions to fire upon and divert the attention of the guard 
stationed upon it, as soon as the remaining part of the detachment 
should be seen on the opposite bank of the river, which was in- 
tended to be forded about five miles below. An unlocked for 
difficulty at the ford caused so much delay in the movement of 
the detachment, that it did not appear at the appointed ground 
until sunset, when, having marched, without a guide, too near 
the bank of the river, its progress was obstructed by a tributary 




Colonel Cass. 



creek; to pass this, a march of another mile was necessary, and 
time was consequently allowed for the enemy to prepare for his 
defence. On coming down the creek, Colonel Cass found the 
British already formed, and received from them a distant fire of 
musketry. The detachment moved on, however, in good order 
and with great spirit and alacrity. The British, who had been 
reinforced at intervals during the whole afternoon, and whose 
number was made up of the 41st regiment and some Indians, 
made several other attempts to fire, but were as often compelled 
to retreat, the detachment continuing to move up, regardless of 
their opposition. They were driven more than half a mile, when 
the darkness of the night made further pursuit hazardous, and 
Colonel Cass was content to possess the bridge and some adjoin- 
ing houses until morning, when, after reconnoitering the neigh- 
bourhood and not finding the enemy, he commenced his return 
to the camp at Sandwich. No accurate information could be 
obtained of the force opposed to the detachment, but the loss of 
the enemy was reported by deserters at eleven killed and wounded. 
The detachment lost not a single man. The bridge was after- 



J 



24 RECONNOISSANCE BY M ARTHUR. 



wards fortified by the British v/ith six pieces of artillery, but this 
being deemed insufficient for its defence, they removed both 
bridge and battery and planted their cannon behind a breastwork 
constructed from the timber. 

Three days after (19th July) Colonel M' Arthur with one hun- 
dred and fifty men from his own regiment, (Ohio volunteers,) 
on relieving a detachment wdiich w^as out, proceeded to the 
reconnoitering ground of Colonel Cass, whence he discovered the 
enemy — eiglity-five regulars, forty Indians, and one hundred and 
fifty militia protected by this battery. The Queen Charlotte of 
twenty guns being at the same time anchored in Detroit river, at 
the mouth of Aux Canards, with a gunboat cruising about her. 
The firing was kept up for nearly an hour between the battery and 
a few riflemen in advance of the troops, but at too great a distance 
to have effect, whilst M'Arthur was examining the Queen 
Charlotte. 

On finding the enemy so well protected by the battery, the 
riflemen were ordered to retire to the detachment, but M' Arthur's 
desire to ascertain the true situation of the enemy, induced him 
to Gfo near the broken brido-e with a g-lass. He discovered that 
the Indians had principally left the battery, and was almost at the 
same instant informed by a messenger from the detachment that 
a number of them were seen passing to a road in its rear. He 
was now attended by Dr. M'Anaw and Captain Puthuff", who, on 
turning their horses to ride with him to the detachment, w^ere 
fired upon by al^out thirty Indians, from their concealment in a 
brush, at the distance of only one hundred yards. They escaped, 
however, without being hnrt, a ball intended for M'Arthur having 
struclv his horse's head below the l^row^band, and glancing to the 
ground. His men were led to the pursuit of the Indians, and 
drove them across Aux Canards to the battery, between the 
detachment and which the fire was kept up at long shot for three 
hours, without other injury to the Americans than the wounding 
of two men, thousrh several broadsides had been discharofed from 
the Queen Charlotte. 

The chief, Tecumseh, celebrated for his dexterity with the 
tomahawk and rifle, not less than for his relentless cruelty in the 
use of them against the inhabitants of the frontier, was at the 



DISPOSITION OF THE TROOPS. 25 

head of the Indians. The escape, therefore, of M'Arthur and his 
companions from a troop of savages, trained and commanded by 
such a warrior as Tecumseh, was almost miraculous. It was no 
less fortunate that the detachment bravely moved up at the report 
of the fire of the Indians, and put them to immediate flight. 
M'Arthur encamped for the night within two miles of Aux 
Canards, and on the following morning returned to the army, 
with Colonel Cass and one hundred men, by whom he was then 
joined. 

Between this time and the beginning of August, no event took 
place which could afford the American troops an opportunity of 
displaying their true character. The inclemency of the weather 
was very unfavourable to the operations of an army. Sudden 
transitions from extreme heat to intense cold, followed by violent 
storms of rain and hail, rendered them both sickly and discon- 
tented. They had been all enamoured of an expedition which 
promised them so much honour and renown, and when they 
landed on the Canadian shore they were filled with such assur- 
ances of conquest as made their impatience for achievement almost 
ungovernable. The tardiness, wliich now seemed inseparable 
from the conduct of their commander, dispirited them, and de- 
stroyed whatever of confidence they might have reposed in him 
before. The result of a council of war, however, which it was 
found necessary to convoke, revived all their desires, and a spirit, 
no less active than that with which they had set out, pervaded 
the whole encampment. In two days more, by proper exertions, 
every arrangement would be completed for the investment of Fort 
Maiden. At the end of that time the heavy cannon might be 
ready; if they should not, the council recommended an attempt 
with the bayonet. The British garrison had been constantly 
deserted by the embodied Canadian militia, and a vigorous attack 
upon it, however gallant the defence, could not but be attended 
with ultimate success. The deliberations of the council corres- 
ponded with the opinions of the general, and the day was ap- 
pointed on ^vhicli the assault was to take place. The cannon 
were well mounted, and embarked on floating batteries ; the 
ammunition A\-as already placed in wagons provided for its 
conveyance; the troops were animated hy the prospect of a 
c 4 



26 VAN HORNE's EXPEDITION, 

combat, and not at all doubtful of a certain and brilliant 
victory. 

A company of volunteers from Ohio, under command of Cap- 
tain Brush, had arrived at the river Ilaisin, with a quantity of 
provisions for the army. Although the troops were already sup- 
plied for many days, these provisions might be necessary in the 
event of conquest. The distance from Detroit to the point at 
which they had arrived was thirty-six miles, and their march was 
liable to be intercepted by scouting parties from the enemy. 
Major Vanhorne was therefore despatched, with one hundred and 
fifty men, to meet and escort them to their destination. He had 
nearly reached Brownstown, on his second day's march, when 
he was attacked in front, and on l3oth flanks, by a very superior 
force, regulars and Indians. A warm engagement followed. To 
the Americans the odds were fearful, but their resistance was 
obstinate. A retreat became indispensalDle, but to succeed in it, 
the exercise of great judgment was necessary. The volunteers 
had confidence in that of their commander, and he brought them 
off, with the loss of nineteen killed and missing, and nine 
wounded. Among the former were Captains M'Culloch, Bostler, 
and Gilcrease, who fought with that gallantry which has never 
failed to distinguish the citizens of the state to which they be- 
longed ; among the latter was Captain Ulry, since dead, whose 
conduct was no less noble than that of his companions. 

Major Vanhorne had scarcely been sent from Sandwich, when 
a change of measures was adopted by the general in opposition 
to the wishes and entreaties of all his officers. The enterprise 
against Maiden was abandoned, and he announced his intention 
of evacuating Canada and posting himself at Fort Detroit. The 
promulgation of his intentions was attended by an order to l^reak 
up the encampment and to recross the river in the night. Conster- 
nation and dismay were visible in the countenance of every, the 
meanest soldier ; their confidence was destroyed, and they con- 
sidered their commander as timid and irresolute. The presence 
of their own officers, on whose capabilities they implicitly relied, 
alone prevented one universal burst of indignation. Reluctantly, 
and with much murmuring, they obeyed the order; and at day- 
break of the morning of the eighth they found themselves garri- 



BATTLE OF MAGUAGA. 27 

soned at Detroit. Here the intelligence of the late skirmish was 
received. 

The communication, which had been opened by the army 
between Raisin and tlieir present post, was shut up by the savages. 
It was indispensably necessary that it should be again opened, 
or the provisions at that river could never reach the garrison, 
which, in a few weeks, would be in want of rations. 

To Lieutenant-Colonel James Miller the command of a strono- 
detachment was for this purpose assigned. He immediately took 
up his line of march with three hundred regulars and two hun- 
dred militia. The regulars were of the 4th regiment, which had 
acquired imperishable renown, under the gallant Colonel Boyd, 
at Tippecanoe. The British and Indians anticipated the return of 
the detachment which they had driven back, and calculated that it 
would be largely reinforced. Their own body was therefore in- 
creased to a number, competent as they supposed, to drive off, or 
perhaps to capture them. They were seven hundred and fifty 
stronsf, and miorht be reinforced durinsf an ens^ao-ement from 
Maiden, opposite to which was the village of Brownstown, which 
they had taken possession of a few days before. They fortified 
the ground at a place called Maguaga, nearly four miles from 
Brownstown, by felling trees and erecting breastworks. Behind 
these they intended to conceal themselves until the Americans 
should attain the point at which they might deal out to them 
what measure of destruction they pleased. The Indians were 
commanded by their great leader, Tecumseh ; the united force by 
Major Muir of the British army. 

On the 9th, the American troops, though they proceeded with 
great caution, reached the ground on which the enemy desired to 
see them before they discovered their ambuscade. Captain Snel- 
ling, commanding the advance, was attacked from it, and sus- 
tained a combat until the main body came up, when the British 
and Indians sprang suddenly from behind the works, formed a 
line of battle with great celerity, and commenced a brisk fire, 
accompanied with all the demonstrations of savage war. Sudden 
and unexpected as was the attack, the intrepid commander of the 
American force was not the least dismayed ; his troops received 
the shock without shrinking, and with a coolness and sagacity 



28 BATTLEOFMA.GUAGA. 



which are commonly looked for in soldiers of long experience, he 
as suddenly drew up his men, and after a rapid fire, charged upon 
the enemy with such unlooked for firmness, as to throw them into 
complete disorder. The obstinacy of the Indians, however, would 
not admit of flight ; they might not act in concert with the British, 
and resorting to their own kind of combat, they were resolved 
not to abandon the contest. But the British had now recovered 
from their confusion, and a scene of indescribable horror ensued. 
Five hundred Indians, led on and encouraged by the regulars, 
(many of whom were like themselves, almost naked,) frightfully 
painted, and sending forth such dreadful whooping and yelling, 
as might have appalled almost any other troops, were fighting on 
every side of the American detachment; but on every side they 
were gallantly repulsed. No such means could induce these brave 
men to forsake their standard, or to disgrace their nation. They 
saw danger strengthening around them, they knew what kind of 
destiny awaited their defeat, and they were resolutely determined 
to repel the foe, or to yield only with their lives. 

Colonel Miller found himself contending against a force more 
than one-third superior to his own, but he was animated by the 
same spirit which was exhibited by his men. Over such men, 
headed by such a commander, the enemy could not hope to be 
victorious. The firmness of the Americans had that effect upon 
the British and Indians, which it was intended by their savage 
noises should be produced on them. They found that they had 
no terrors to resort to which could attain their end, and they began 
from necessity to give ground. The obstinacy of the detachment 
was equal to the determined character of the Indians, and the 
latter became first intimidated. 

The united forces were driven, inch by inch, into Browns- 
town, and would have been beaten into submission, had not a 
squadron of boats been ready to receive them at that place. They 
made as rapid a retreat across the river as their oarsmen knew 
how, and returned to Maiden with an inferior force to that 
with which they had left it. Their loss was, in regulars, seven 
killed and wounded ; of Indians they left nearly one hundred on 
the field. 

In the stout contest, which the detachment kept up for more 



FORT CHICAGO ABANDONED. 



31 



than two hours, there were killed fifteen, and wounded between 
thirty and forty. The officers Avho principally distinguished 
themselves were Captain Baker, Lieutenants Larabee and Peters, 
and Ensio-n Whistler. The lirst of them was shot three different 
times during the battle; the second lost his left arm, and the two 
latter were also wounded. Colonel Miller remained at Browns- 
town lUitil tlie meridian of the next day, when he received orders 
to return to Detroit. The troops were exhausted by so vigorous 
an engagement, and they would have been unable to proceed 
further. A fresh detachment would probably be sent upon the 
same expedition ; and Colonel Miller, knowing how necessary it 
was that his men should be refreshed, was not averse from this 
order. 

Captain Brush was still waiting at the river Raisin for an 
escort, when he received a letter from General Hull, of the 11th 
of August, in the following words: "The state of the communi- 
cation between this [Detroit] and the river Raisin is such, that a 
sufficient detachment cannot be sent to bring on the provisions 
with safety. You will therefore remain at the river Raisin, and 
in conjunction with the regiment, Le Croix's corps, and your 
own, protect the provisions and yourselves until further orders. 
The detachment sent for the purpose are so fatigued, after a 
severe and victorious battle, that it will return here." In a post- 
script to this letter, it was left to the discretion of Captain Brush, 
on consulting with Colonel Anderson, and the bearer of the letter, 
to proceed by a route on an upper road, crossing the river Huron; 
on determining on which, immediate notice was to be given at 
Detroit. Colonels Cass and M'Arthur were despatched, on the 
evening of the 14th, with three hundred and fifty men, to assist 
in the transportation of the provisions through that channel. 

On the same day on which the victory at Maguaga was 
achieved, Captain Heald, the commandant at Fort Chicago, 
since called Fort Dearborn, received orders to proceed imme- 
diatety with his command to Detroit, by land. Accordingly on 
the 15th, after delivering to the friendly Indians, in conformity 
to his instructions, all the goods in the factory, and such provi- 
sions as could not be taken away, and destroying the surplus arms 
and ammunition, he commenced his march with fifty-four regu- 



32 SURRENDER OF HEALd's PARTY. 



lars and twelve militia, the whole amount of his force, and was 
escorted by Captain Wells, of Fort Wayne, and a few friendly 
Indians of the Miami tribe, sent thither for that purpose. As the 
place Avould now be defenseless, the inhabitants, principally 
women and children, were directed to accompany the troops. 
The little party had not proceeded more than one mile and a 
half, between a high sand-bank and the lake, wdien it was dis- 
covered that a number of hostile Indians were preparing to attack 
them from Ijehind the bank. 

Captain Heald immediately ordered his compc^ny to ascend it; 
and they had scarcely done so, when an action commenced, in 
which, after firing one round and charging with great velocity 
upon the Indians, the latter were ol^liged to give way in front, 
but joining the party on the American flanks, they kept up their 
fire, and got possession of all the horses, provisions, and baggage 
of every description. The friendly Indians standing aloof, refus- 
ing to talce part in the contest, and ap})arently awaiting the 
issue, that they might determine on which side to belong, made 
it necessary for Captain Heald to draw off his few men, and take 
possession of a small elevation in an open iwairie, out of shot of 
the bank or any other cover. Here he received an offer of pro- 
tection from an Indian chief on condition of his surrender, which, 
without much reliance on its faith, he accepted, because of the 
great disparity of force, the Indian warriors amounting to nearly 
five hundred. Their loss was about fifteen. Of the Americans, 
twenty-six regulars and all the militia w^ere killed : among them. 
Captain Wells and Ensign George Roman, both officers of great 
gallantry. Two women and twelve children were also killed. 
The Indians had it now in their power to move to any part of the 
country through which the communication had been formed 
between the river Raisin and Detroit, and numbers of them were 
accordingly posted at several points on that road, whilst a stronger 
party proceeded against Fort Wayne, v Their absence was talven 
advantage of by Captain Ilcald, whom they had taken to the mouth 
of St. Josephs, and who now, with his lady, procured a convey- 
ance to Michilimackinac, where he was received ]iolitely by tlie 
commandant. Captain Roberts. Mrs. Heald was wounded by six 
shot — the captain by two. 



GENERAL BROCK's SUMMONS. 33 

Any attempt to accelerate the transportation of the provisions 
would now be useless, for on the 13th the British had taken a 
position opposite Detroit. They were occupied in throwing up 
breastworks during- that and the two following days, at the end 
of which time they had completed a battery of two eighteen- 
pounders and an eight inch howitzer, without any interruption 
from the American fort. Major Denny, of the volunteers, who 
had been left in garrison at Sandwich with two hundred and fifty 
infantry, and a corps of artillerists, was obliged on their approach 
to make his retreat across the river. This he effected in good 
order. 

On the 15th a flag of truce was received from the British, with 
the following summons: "Sir — The force at my disposal author- 
izes me to require of you the surrender of Fort Detroit. It is far 
from my inclination to join in a war of extermination, but you 
must be aware that the numerous body of Indians, who have 
attached themselves to my troops, will be beyond my control the 
moment the contest commences. You will find me disposed to 
enter into such conditions as will satisfy the most scrupulous 
sense of honour. Lieutenant-Colonel M'Donnell and Major Glegg 
are fully authorized to conclude any arrangement that may lead 
to prevent the unnecessary effusion of blood. I have the honour 
to be, &c. ISAAC BROCK, Maj. Gen. 

" His Ex. Brig. Gen. Hull, com'g at Fort Detroit." 

To this summons it was returned for answer, that the "town 
and fort would be defended to the last extremity." The British 
then opened their batteries upon the town, and continued to throw 
their shells into the fort from four o'clock until midniglit. The 
fire was returned until dark with little effect. At dajdigbt the 
next morning the firing again commenced, whilst the British, 
under the protection of their ships, were landing their forces at 
Spring Wells. At about ten o'clock they proceeded in a close 
column, twelve in front, along the bank of the river towards the 
fort. 

From Fort Detroit the enemy could not have been prevented 
from landing, had he attempted it, even in its more immediate 
vicinity. Its situation had been originally chosen without skill ; 
the town actually standing between it and the river, and the foot 

5 



34 SURRENDER OF FORT DETROIT. 

of the scarp being more than two hundred rods from it. On the 
evening of the 15th it was, therefore, suggested to General Hull 
that the British should be opposed on the margin of the river, 
that there w^as a position at that point whence they could be de- 
stroyed, with the utmost certainty, as fast as they could land ; and 
that a strong battery, wtII manned there, would be a better secu- 
rity than the Fort of Detroit. 

The suggestions of General Hull's officers were too often dis- 
regarded. The enemy had now landed, and no obstruction could 
prevent his approach until he should be either in the rear of the 
town or of the fort, when all the strength of the latter might be 
successfully brought against him. 

The 4th regiment was stationed within the fort; the Ohio 
volunteers, and part of the Michigan militia, behind pickets, from 
wdiich the enemy's whole flank could be annoyed ; the residue of 
the militia were in the town to resist the Indians, and two twenty- 
four pounders, loaded with grape shot, were posted on an emi- 
nence from which they could sweep the advancing column. The 
superiority of position was apparent on the side of the Americans, 
and their force at least equal to that of the enemy. They had 
four hundred rounds of twenty-four pound shot, already fixed, 
and about one hundred thousand cartridges made. Tlieir provi- 
sions were sufficient for fifteen days, and every man of them 
awaited the approach of the enemy with a full and eager expecta- 
tion of victory. The head of the column had advanced within 
five hundred yards of the American line, when General Hull 
ordered the troops to retreat to the fort, and not by any means to 
open the twenty-four pounders upon the enemy. The feelings 
of the soldiers were not now to be restrained, as they had been a 
few days before at Sandwich. Indignation at the conduct, and 
contempt for the capacity of the commanding general, could not 
longer be disguised, and they loudly uttered their discontent. 
They entered the fort, however, which, though crowded so that 
any movement was impracticable, was scarcely capable of con- 
taining them. Here they were directed to stack their arms, and 
they had the mortification to see the flag of their country struck 
to the invaders, and the fort surrendered, without the discharo^e 
of a single gun. A white flag was suspended from its walls, and 




^^^ 



SURRENDER OF FORT DETROIT. 37 

such was the astonishment, even of the enemy's troops, that a 
British officer rode up to ascertain its meaning. It was the first 
instance, perhaps, which they had ever known, of the surrender 
of a mihtary post without a previous arrangement of the terms ; 
and they had Kttle expectation of so tame a submission. Those 
brave troops, who had but eight days before beaten and put this 
same enemy to flight, were now obliged to march out in review, 
and lay down theii* arms to an inferior force, who had done no 
other thing towards the capture of the garrison than showing 
themselves before it. 

Not only the heroes of Brownstown, but the detachments then 
absent from the fort, the volunteers and all the provisions at 
Raisin, and those of no inconsiderable amount, the fortified posts 
and garrisons, and the whole territory and inhabitants of Michi- 
gan, were delivered over by capitulation to the commanding 
general of the British forces. Forty barrels of powder, two thou- 
sand five hundred stand of arms, and an armament, (consisting 
of twenty-five iron, and eight brass pieces of ordnance,) the greater 
part of which had been captured from the British in the revolu- 
tionary w^ar, were surrendered with them. The detachment 
w^hich had been sent out under Colonels Cass and M' Arthur, had 
received orders the niglit before to return ; but when they arrived 
within sight of Detroit, before which the enemy was already sta- 
tioned, it became necessary to use excessive caution in their 
nearer approach. They were accidentally thrown into a situation, 
the best for annoying and cutting off the retreat of the enemy, 
w^hich could possibly be selected ; and if they had heard any fir- 
ing, or had seen any indication of an engagement, they might have 
attacked the rear of the column, and placed the enemy's raw 
troops between their own fire and that of the fort. They could 
not imagine what measures were in operation, when an uninter- 
rupted silence prevailed between two hostile armies within fight- 
ing distance of each other ; the arrangement for a surrender was 
the last among their surmises, because they knew that the garri- 
son was superior to any force which could then be brought against 
it. Their doubts were relieved by a message from General Hull 
to the following effect: "I have signed articles of capitulation 
for the surrender of this garrison, in which you and your detach- 

D 



38 REMARKS ON THE SURRENDER. 

ment are prisoners of war. Such part of the Ohio miUtia as 
have not joined the army, will be permitted to return to their 
homes on condition that they wdll not serve during the war. 
Their arms, however, will be given up, if belonging to the public." 
This despatch was forwarded by Colonel M' Arthur to Captain 
Brush. The volunteers and militia returned to their respective 
homes, but General Hull and the 4th regiment, and part of the 
1st, were taken to Montreal, whence they were destined for Que- 
bec. General Brock issued his proclamation announcing to the 
inhabitants of Michigan the cession of that territory to the arms 
of his Britannic majesty, and establishing regulations for its civil 
government. The capitulation of an immense territory, and the 
surrender of the whole north-western army, which was composed 
of men feelingly alive to the honour of their country, ambitious 
of distin^uishinff themselves in arms, and most of whom had left 
their families and their friends to encounter the fatigues and dan- 
gers of a long campaign, excited a sensation among the people 
from one extremity of the country to the other, not less indignant 
than that which was felt by the troops themselves. When 
General Brock said that the force at his disposal authorized him 
to require the surrender, he must have had a very exalted opinion 
of the prowess of his own soldiers, or a very mistaken one of the 
ability of those which were commanded by the American gene- 
ral. The force at his disposal was inferior to the garrison of 
Detroit, even in the absence of the detachments. In a letter to 
Sir George Prevost, he states the American force at two thousand 
five hundred — which, however, could not be correct, as it had 
met with losses in the different skirmishes — and his own at six 
hundred white troops, and six hundred Indians. By the return 
of his quartermaster-general, it consisted of — 

British regulars, infantry and artillery, . . . 382 

Indians, principally Chippewas, Hurons and Pottawatamies, 650 
Militia, in regular uniforms, ..... 362 

Total, 1394 

Of these, few of the Indians were visible, as they generally 
skulked in the woods, and did not advance upon the fort with the 
British column. The force of General Hull's army, by the morn- 



GENERAL li U L L S DESPATCH. 39 

ing report, was one thousand and sixty, exclusive of the detach- 
ment of three hundred and fifty men, and three hundred Michi- 
gan mihtia, then out on duty, Avhich would have made seventeen 
hundred and ten ; superior to the enemy hy three hundred and 
sixteen. On the arrival of Captain Brush from Raisin, his total 
force would have amounted to more than eighteen hundred and 
sixty. 

Had the troops remained at Sandwich till the provisions were 
brought on, the surrender of this force to a body of troops inferior 
in quality as well as number, would have been prevented. The 
British did not appear at that place until they had heard of its 
evacuation, they were induced to follow up the American army, 
because of its abrupt departure from the Canadian shore, and it 
has been matter of conjecture whether General Hull's conduct 
was the result of cowardice, mental imbecility and moral depra- 
vity, or corrupt perfidy. In his official despatches to the govern- 
ment he accounted for it by saying, " the surrender of Michili- 
mackinac opened the northern hive of Indians, and they were 
swarming down in every direction. Reinforcements from Niagara 
had arrived at Amherstburg under the command of Colonel 
Proctor. The desertion of the militia ceased. Besides the rein- 
forcements that came by water, I received information of a very con- 
siderable force under the command of Major Chambers, on the river 
Le Tranche, with four field-pieces, and collecting the militia on 
his route, evidently destined for Amherstburg, and in addition to 
this combination and increase of force, contrary to all expectations 
the Wyandots, Chippewas and other tribes with whom I had the 
most friendly intercourse, at once passed over to Amherstburg 
and accepted the tomahawk and scalping knile. There being 
now a vast numl)er of Indians at the British post, they were sent 
to the river Huron, Brownstown, and Maguaga, to intercept my 
communication. 

'.' Under this sudden and unexpected change of things, and 
having received an express from General Hall commanding op- 
posite the British shore on the Niagara river, by which it appeared 
that there was no prospect of any co-operation from that quarter, 
and the two senior officers of the artillery having stated to me an 
opinion that it vrould be exti'emely difficult if not impossible to 



40 

pass the Turkey river and the river Aux Canards with twenty- 
four-pounders, and that they could not be transported by water, 
as the Queen Charlotte, which carries eighteen twenty-four- 
pounders, lay in the river Detroit above the mouth of the river 
Aux Canards, and as it appeared indispensably necessary to open 
the communication to the river Raisin and the Miami, I found 
myself compelled to suspend the operations against Amherstburg 
and concentrate the main force of the army at Detroit, fully in- 
tending at that time, after the communication was opened, to 
recross the river and pursue the object at Amherstburg, and 
strongly desirous of continuing protection to a very large number 
of tlie inhabitants of Upper Canada who had voluntarily accepted 
it under my proclamation ; I esta1)lished a fortress on the banks 
of the river a little below^ Detroit, calculated for a garrison of three 
hundred men. On the evening of the 7th and morning of the 
8th instant, the army, excepting the garrison of two hundred and 
fifty infantry and a corps of artillerists, all under the command 
of Major Denny of the Ohio volunteers, recrossed the river and 
encamped at Detroit." 

But the greater part of the statement contained in his de- 
spatches was contradicted by his officers of the highest grades, 
and particularly that in wdiich, after describing the approach of 
the enemy, he continued — 

" It now became necessary either to fight the enemy in the 
field, collect the whole force in the fort, or propose terms of capitu- 
lation. I could not have carried into the field more than six 
hundred men, and left any adequate force in the fort. There 
were landed at that time of the enemy a regular force of much 
more than that number, and twice the number of Indians. Con- 
sidering this great inequality of force, I did not think it expedient 
to adopt the first measure. The second must have been attended 
with a great sacrifice of blood, and no possible advantage, because 
the contest could not have been sustained for more than a glay 
for the want of powder, and but a very few days for the w^ant of 
provisions. In addition to this. Colonels M'Artliur and Cass 
would have been in a most hazardous situation. I feared nothino- 
but the last alternative. I have dared to adopt it. I well know 



GENERAL HULL PUNISHED. 



41 



the high responsibihty of the measure, and I take the whole of it 
on myself" 

With this account the government were not satisfied ; nor was 
the court-martial before wdiom, on being exchanged for thirty 
British prisoners, he was tried. 

After an investigation of all the facts, that court declined mak- 
ing a decision on the charge of treason, which was alleged against 
him, but said that they did not believe, from any thing which 
had come before them, that he had been guilty of that act. On 
the second charge, for cowardice — and the third, for neglect of 
duty and unofficerlike conduct, they condemned him. A sen- 
tence of death w^as passed upon him ; but in consideration of his 
revolutionary services and his advanced age, he was earnestly 
recommended to the mercy of the president, who remitted the 
sentence, l3ut directed a general order to be issued, by which his 
name w^as struck from the rolls of the army. 

Could that genius and enterprise, which distinguished the other 
officers of the north-western army, have been imparted to its 
commander, a more glorious issue to the American arms must 
have been the necessary result. The conduct of the several de- 
tachments, and the ample success of each excursion, gave an 
almost incontestible proof that a vigorous prosecution of the war- 
fare would have obtained complete victory. Had the effect of 
these successes been followed up by a rapid movement of the 
army itself, and proper advantages been taken of the desertions 
from the enemy's garrison, the whole country would have been 
subjugated, or laid open to future expeditions, and the object of 
the present would doubtless have been achieved. Weakness and 
imbecility, however, supplied the place of military talent, and 
the result was different from that which w^as looked to by the 
army and the nation. 




42 



NAVAL CAMPAIGN OF 1812. 





CHAPTER II. 

Kafeal ©ampalg® ©I IlM^a 

Contemporaneous with the disaster at 
Detroit was a succession of brilhant achieve- 
ments on the ocean, paralleled perhaps, but 
never yet surpassed; the intelligence of 
M'hich entirely dispelled the temporary 
gloom which pervaded the minds, and filled 
with grief the hearts of the American people. At the commence- 
ment of hostilities, such of the United States vessels of w^ar whose 
equipments were entire, had orders to proceed immediately to sea. 
A squadron of three frigates, one brig, and one sloop of war, sailed 
on the 21st of June from New York, in quest of several of the 
enemy's frigates, known to be at that time cruising off the en- 
trance to that harbour. On the 3d of July, the frigate Essex, 
Captain Porter, went to sea from the same port; and the Consti- 
tution, Captain Hull, sailed from the Chesapeake bay on the 12th. 
The brigs Nautilus, Viper, and Vixen, were at the same time 
cruising off the coast, and the sloop of war Wasp was at sea, on 
her return from France. 

On the morning of the 17th, an English squadron, consisting 



ESCAPE OF THE CONSTITUTION. 



43 




Escape of the Constitution. 

of the Africa, a ship of the hue, the frigates Shannon, Gaerriere, 
Belvidere, and tEoIus, and a brig and schooner, the nearest of the 
frigates being within gun-shot, gave chase to the Constitution. 
A cahn prevaihng during the whole day, towing and warping 
were unremittingly resorted to ; but the enemy, by attaching all 
the boats of the squadron to two of the frigates, were gaining so 
much upon the Constitution, as to bring their bow guns to bear 
upon her, though they received several discharges from her stern 
chasers. The chase continued all night. On the following 
morning (I8th) at daylight, the Constitution, taking advantage 
of a fresh breeze which just then sprang up, spread all her can- 
vass, outsailed, and escaped from her pursuers, and arrived at 
Boston on the evening of the 26th — whence slie sailed upon a 
cruise on the 2d of August. The chase continued for sixty hours ; 
the ship's crew were all that time at their stations, and the escape 
of the frigate from seven sail, two of which were warped up by 
more than six times the number of men and boats employed by 
the Constitution, has been considered as an incontestible proof 
of the superior skill and seamanship of her commander. The 



44 ESSEX AND ALERT. 

officers of the pursuing ships, one of whom was afterwards cap- 
tured by Captain Hull, have spoken of it in terms of the highest 
admiration. 

Congress having authorized the president to issue letters of 
marque and reprisals, the ocean was very soon covered with pri- 
vate armed ships from almost every port in the United States. 
One of the first which sailed was the schooner Atlas, commanded 
by Captain David Moffat ; who, on the 3d of August, fell in with 
two armed ships of the enemy, and at 11 a. m. engaged them 
both. The action commenced by a broadside of musketry from 
the Atlas, and was continued without intermission until noon, 
when one of the enemy's ships struck her colours. The whole 
fire of the Atlas was then brought against the largest ship, wlien 
that which had already struck again opened her broadside. A 
few shot from the Atlas, however, drove every man from her 
decks, and compelled her a second time to yield. At twenty 
minutes, p. m., the largest ship struck also, and on taking pos- 
session of them, Captain Moffat found them to be the ship Pur- 
suit, of four hundred and fifty tons, sixteen guns, eighteens and 
nines, and thirty-five men ; and the ship Planter, of twelve guns, 
twelve-pounders, and fifteen men. During the action the Atlas 
was very much disabled in her rigging, and had two men killed 
and five wounded. Among the latter, a seaman of the name of 
William Curl, who behaved with great coolness, and refused to 
quit liis quarters, though he had received a wound which after- 
wards proved to be mortal. The three vessels were making a 
port, when a British frigate hove in sight and recaptured the 
Planter ; but the Atlas, and her largest prize, arrived safely in the 
Delaware. 

On the 13th of August the frigate Essex, which had now been 
cruising forty days, fell in with the British sloop of war Alert, 
Captain T. L. P. Langhorne, of twenty guns, and one hundred 
and thirty men ; wdio immediately ran down upon the frigate's 
weather quarter, gave three cheers, commenced an action, and 
after eight minutes firing, struck her colours, with seven feet 
water in her hold, her hull cut to pieces, and three of her men 
wounded. The officers and crew of the Essex, which received 
not the slightest injury, were highly amused at the boldness of 



CRUISEOFTHEESSEX. 45 

the enemy, who must have calculated on an easy conquest over 
the American frigate. A few broadsides, however, deliberately 
fired into the sloop of war, brought down her colours ; and after 
concluding an arrangement with Captain Langhorne to that 
effect. Captain Porter dismantled her of her armament, and put- 
ting all his prisoners, being about five hundred, on board, sent 
her under the command of one of his officers. Lieutenant J. P. 
Wilmer, as a cartel to St. Johns, in Newfoundland ; whence she 
was instructed to sail for New York with whatever American 
prisoners might be given in exchange. 

About seventeen days after, late in the afternoon of the 30th, 
Captain Porter chscovered, and stood, under easy sail, for one of 
the enemy's frigates, wliicli was at the same time standing for 
him. The Essex was cleared, and the crew anxious for an en- 
gagement. Being apprehensive that the enemy might not find 
him in the night, Captain Porter hoisted a light at the masthead, 
and at nine o'clock discovered a signal of two flashes and a l)lue- 
liglit, at about four miles distance. The Essex stood on for the 
point at which this signal was given until midnight, but not get- 
ting a sight of the enemy he hove to, under an expectation that 
the hostile ship would do the same, until morning. To the great 
surprise of Captain Porter, and the mortification of his crew, at 
daylight the enemy was not to be seen. 

On the 4th of September, in attempting to get into New York, 
the Essex was intercepted and chased by two large ships of war, 
who gained her wake and came up with great fleetness ; but she 
escaped from them by manoeuvering in the night, having first 
hoisted American colours and fired a gun to windward. One of 
the ships being considerably to windward of the other, and about 
five miles astern of the Essex, it was determined to heave about 
as soon as it became dark, and in the event of not being able to 
pass, to fire a broadside into her and lay her on board. The 
vdnd heading the Essex off", however, at thirty minutes after 
eight she bore away, and being cut off from New York, effected 
her escape into the bay of Delaware, where she arrived on the 7th 
without the loss of a man — having made nine captures in addi- 
tion to the Alert. The Alert returned from St. Johns, and arrived 



46 



CONSTITUTION AND GUERRIERE. 



at New York on the 16th of September, with two hundred and 
seventy American prisoners. 

On the '28th of August the Constitution returned to Boston 
from a cruise commenced upon the second of that month, and 
signahzed by a briUiant and victorious contest with a British ship 
of war, the commander of which had repeatedly threatened the 
capture of any one of the American frigates which it might be 
his fortune to encounter. The frigate Guerriere had been sailing 
off the coast for several months previous to the declaration of 
war, and had frequently shown herself at the entrances of the 
different ports, with her name written in large characters upon a 
flag at one of her mastheads, and at another the words "wo? the Little 
Belf — in allusion to an affair which had taken place between a 
sloop of war of that name and the United States frigate President, 
in which the latter ship retorted an assault committed on her, in 
time of peace, by discharging two broadsides at, and nearly sink- 
ing, the sloop of war.* Captain Hull had been informed of the 



* On the 16th of May, the Little Belt, commanded by Captain Bingham, and mount- 
ing eighteen guns, was hailed by the President, to know what ship she was. The 
captain of the Little Belt repeated the question, without answering it, and Commodore 
Rodgers again asked, " What ship is that?" This demand was followed by a shot from 
the Little Belt. The President returned it, and received a broadside from her. Com- 
modore Rodgers then gave a general order to fire, and having silenced the other, 
again inquired what ship she was. He now received an answer which informed him 
of the character of the vessel, and he lay to, in order to assist her in repairing her 
damages. 

" This occurrence," says Mr. Cooper, in his Naval History, " gave rise to much dis- 
cussion in America, and widened the breach which already existed between the 
American and English nations. TJie account given by Captain Bingham differed essen- 
tially from that of Commodore Rodgers, and official investigations were made on both 
sides. On that of the Americans, a formal court of inquiry was held, and every sea offi- 
cer in the ship was examined, as well as a great many of the petty officers. The testi- 
mony was very clear, and it was in a great measure free from the discrepancies that 
usually distinguish the accounts of battles, whether by sea or land. The fact that the 
Little Belt fired the first gun, was established by the oath of the officer who ordered the 
gun fired in return. This gentleman distinctly testified that he gave the command, 
tmder a standing order of the ship, and in consequence of having seen the flash and 
heard tlie report of the Little Belt's gun. He not only testified that he heard the report 
of the gun, but that he also heard the noise made by the shot which had entered the 
mast. Other officers and men corroborated this account, and in a way to render their 
evidence not only consistent with itself, but with probability. As the President was 
very fully officered, the number and respectability of the witnesses put at rest all cavil- 
linjr about the facts." 



CONSTITUTION AND GUERRIERE. 



47 




Coiiiiijoduix' Hull. 



appearance of a single ship of war, to the eastward of the coast, 
and immediately stood in that direction. Between the 2d and 
the 19th of August, he made several captures of merchantmen, 
and recaptured an American brig which had been taken by the 
Avenger. On that day, in lat. 41 deg. 42 min. N., and long. 55 
deg. 33 min. W., he discovered a large frigate of the enemy, set 
all sail in chase, and came up with and captured her after a 
spirited engagement of forty-five minutes. She proved to be the 
frigate Guerriere, of thirty-eight guns, but carrying forty-nine, 
and commanded by Captain James R. D acres. She was dis- 
covered at about two, p. m. and at foui*, the Constitution was 
closing fast upon her. At ten minutes past four the enemy hoisted 
English colours, and commenced the action by firing several 
guns. The Constitution's fire was reserved until she could be 
put in such a position that every shot should take effect ; and the 
sailing-master, Aylwin, brought her so skilfully into action, that 
Captain Hull's views were completely accomplished. But the 
enemy not comprehending them, suspected the Americans of 



48 CONSTITUTION AND GUERRIERE. 

timidity, or of ignorance in the art of gunnery, and discharged his 
broadsides with an assurance of cripphng his antagonist before he 
might open his battery. The crew of the Constitution anxiously 
awaiting the orders of their commander to fire on the foe, were 
themselves filled with surprise at his receiving so many rounds 
without yet returning them. Captain Hull, at his station how- 
ever, was with great judgment reconnoitering the enemy with his 
glass; until finding that the ability and excellent seamanship of 
his sailing-master, brought up the ship to the exact station upon 
the enemy's beam from which he knew he could effectually annoy 
him, he issued his orders to fire broadside after broadside with the 
greatest possible rapidity. His crew^, now perfectly entering into 
a plan which none but an able seaman could have conceived, 
executed his commands with as much alacrity as was required, 
and after fifteen minutes close and constant cannonading, the 
enemy's mizzen-mast having gone over his starboard quarter, the 
Constitution was placed upon his larboard bow, in a raking posi- 
tion, from which she swept the decks of the Guerriere with grape 
and musketry. The enemy's ship became now unmanageable, 
and the Constitution prepared to lay her on board. Lieutenant 
Bush attempted to throw his marines on her deck, when he was 
killed by a musket-ball, and the Guerriere, at the same moment, 
getting clear of the Constitution, shot ahead; but it being impos- 
sible to get her before the wind, she was exposed to every raking 
fire of her opponent. Her fore and mainmasts went over the 
side; her hull was cut almost to pieces, and at twenty minutes 
past five she surrendered. The execution of the Constitution's fire 
was dreadfully severe, and the management of the vessel reflected 
great credit on her ofiicer. Her loss was but seven killed, and 
seven wounded. The Guerriere's loss was about one hundred 
and two — in wounded sixty-two, in killed and missing upwards 
of forty. 

The Constitution had some spars and much of her rigging shot 
away ; after repairing which, and getting out the prisoners, she 
set fire to and blew up the Guerriere, which was in so sinking a 
condition that she could not be brought into port. Captain Hull 
spoke in high terms of the crew, from the smallest boy in the 
ship to the oldest seaman. The ofiicers behaved with great gal- 



CONSTITUTION AND GUERRIERE. 49 



lantiy. The brave and amiable Lieutenant William Bush, the 
first naval officer who fell in this war, distinguished himself by 
intrepidly leading on the boarders, wlien he received the ball 
which deprived his country of his services. Mr. Aylwin, who 
manoeuvered the ship so well throughout the battle, was severely 
wounded, and on his return to port was promoted to the rank of 
a lieutenant. The first officer, Lieutenant Morris, ^vas danger- 
ously wounded ; his conduct procured for him the applause of the 
government, and a promotion to the rank of a post-captain. 
Captain Hull was received, with a degree of joy bordering on 
enthusiasm, by the citizens of every town throug-h which he 
passed on his way to the navy department. Many of the state 
legislatures voted him their thanks and a sword ; the freedom of 
several cities w^as presented to him, each in a gold box; and the 
people of Charlestown and Philadelphia subscribed for the pur- 
chase of two elegant pieces of plate. The Congress of the United 
States voted him, and his officers and crew, their thanks — and 
the sum of fifty thousand dollars. 

The Guerriere was one of the finest and largest class of frigates 
in the British navy; a fact which is certified in a letter to Lord 
Keith from a British officer. Captain Thomas Lavie, of the frigate 
Blanche — in which ship, on the 19th of July, 1806, off the Faro 
Islands, after acontei^t of the same length, (forty-five minutes,) he 
captured the French frigate Le Guerriere, commanded by Mon- 
sieur Hubert of the legion of honour. His letter states, " Le 
Guerreire is of the largest class of frigates, mounting fifty guns, 
7inth a complement of three hundred and seventeen men'' 

The squadron which had sailed on the 21st of June, under the 
command of Commodore Rodgers, and which consisted of the 
President, of forty-four guns, (flag ship;) United States, forty- 
four, Captain Decatur; Congress, thirty-six. Captain John Smith; 
Hornet, sixteen, Lieutenant-Commandant Lawrence; and Argus, 
sixteen, Lieutenant-Commandant, Sinclair, returned from the 
cruise, and arrived in Boston harbour on the 31st of August, with 
about one hundred and twenty English prisoners on board, hav- 
ing been out seventy-two days. These vessels had been off the 
English channel, along the coast of France, Spain, and Portugal, 
within thirty miles of the Rock of Lisbon ; thence to Madeira 

E 7 



50 



PRESIDENT AND BELVIDERE. 




Commodore Decatur. 



Island, thence off Coroand Flores, and thence back to the Banks, 
and by Nova Scotia to Boston. They were, most of this time, 
in search of the Jamaica fleet; thongh on the third day out their 
attention was diverted by the appearance of a large sail, wdiich 
was afterwards known to be the British frigate Belvidere, Captain 
B. Byron, and to which they gave chase. The President being 
a superior sailer to tlie rest of the squadron, was brought wdthin 
gun-shot of the enemy. The breeze inclining to the westward 
and becoming lighter, however, the Belvidere had the advantage; at 
one p. M. she hoisted English colours. At four, the wind having 
changed, so that the two vessels sailed nearly alike. Commodore 
Rodgers determined to fire his bow chase jruns at the rigo-ingr and 
spars, in the expectation of crippling the enemy, so that her 
escape w^ould be prevented, or at least that the President might be 
enabled to come up. The fire was returned from the enemy's 
stern guns, and was kept up on Ijoth sides until thirty minutes 
past four, when one of the President's chase guns bursted, and 
killed and wounded sixteen men — among the latter the commo- 
dore ; and by the explosion of the passing-box, from which the 
gun was served Avith powder, both the main and forecastle decks 
in its neighbourhood were much shattered. The helm was then 



ACTION ON LAKE ONTARIO. 51 

put to starboard, and the discharge of the President's broadside 
wounded, and considerably injured, though it did not destroy, the 
spars and rigging of the Belvidere. The President began now 
to lose ground, no hope was left of bringing the enemy to close 
action, except that derived from being to windward, and the pro- 
bability that the breeze might favour the President first, and the 
commodore ordered her to be steered close after him, and the bow 
chase guns to be kept playing on his spars, rigging and stern. 
At five, the enemy's stern guns annoyed the President so mucli, 
that the commodore determined on another broadside, which being 
discharged, was found to have wounded the fore-topsail yard of 
the Belvidere : after this, the pursuit was kept up until eleven p. i\i. 
The President gave two more broadsides, but the Belvidere 
having stove and threw overboard her boats, and every thing 
which could be possibly spared ; and having cut away her anchors, 
and started about fourteen tons of water, outsailed the squadron 
and effected her escape. Six men were killed and wounded by 
the Belvidere's fire, and sixteen by the accident on board the 
President, making in all twenty-two, among whom, beside the 
commodore, were five midshipmen, one lieutenant of marines, and 
one lieutenant of the ship. 

While these events were transpiring on the ocean, several naval 
affairs took place upon the lakes, more inferior in their magnitude 
than in the heroism of the persons concerned in them. On the 
30th of July, the brig Julia of one thirty-two-pounder, and two 
sixes, was fitted out at Sackett's Harbour, with orders to proceed 
to Ogdensburg. On the 31st, upon entering the St. Lawrence, 
within sight of Brockville, ten miles from her destination, she 
discovered the Earl Moira of eighteen guns, and the Duke of 
Gloucester of ten, lying to. The Julia bore down within three- 
quarters of a mile of them, and came to action. At half-past four 
p. i\i. the enemy opened their fire, and the engagement continued 
three hours and a half, during which time, numerous attempts 
were made to board the Julia by the boats of the Duke, but the 
thirty-two-pounder being well fought, the enemy were obliged to 
relinquish that plan. Both vessels hauled up under the land 
battery, and kept up a heavy fire. At eight o'clock, the Julia pro- 
ceeded to Ogdensburg, without the loss of a man. The enemy's 



52 LIEUTENANT ELLIOT S EXPEDITION. 



loss has never been ascertained. In all the engagement three 
shot only struck the hull ; one went through the jib, and another 
pierced the gun carriage of the Julia. Her crew were all volun- 
teers; Lieutenant H. Wells having the command, Samuel Dixon 
being sailing-master, and Captain Benedict being on board with 
a small company of riflemen, acting as marines. 

Lieutenant Jesse D. Elliot, of the United States navy, had l)een 
ordered to the Niagara river, to superintend the building of the . 
vessels at Black Rock for the service on Lake Erie. The British 
brio- Detroit, of six-pound long guns, formerly the United States 
brio' Adams, whicli had been taken at the surrender of Detroit, 
and tlie brig Caledonia, of two small guns, both well a})pointed 
and supplied with blunderbusses, pistols, muskets, cutlasses, 
boarding-pikes, and battle-axes, came down the lake and anchored 
under tlie protection of Fort Erie, on the morning of the eighth of 
October. Lieutenant Elliot planned an expedition against them, 
which, because there were but few seamen at the station, was to 
be executed by volunteers from the army. This plan was com- 
municated to General Smyth, who immediately agreed to supply 
the regulars to man two boats to attack and cut out the enemy's 
vessels. Several companies of artillery and infantry, who arrived 
at the rock only a few days before, on hearing the proposal for 
volunteers, stepped forward to a man, and such was the eagerness 
of all the troops, tliat it became necessary to resort to lot. Fifty 
men only were wanted : Lieutenant Elliot having heard that the 
same number of seamen were at a short distance from him, on 
their route to the naval station, and who arrived at twelve o'clock 
on the morning of that day, and whom, though they came off" a 
march of five hundred miles, he determined should be also of the 
expedition. At four o'clock in the afternoon the selection was com- 
pleted, and the men stationed in two boats, (fifty in each,) com- 
manded by Lieutenant Elliot and Sailing-Master Watts. Li the 
same boat with the former, was Lieutenant Isaac Roach, and with 
the latter, Captain N. Towson, both of the artillery, and officers 
of great merit, who had been fortunate enough to draw the suc- 
cessful lots. About three hours before daylight of the following 
morning, the boats put off from the mouth of Buffalo creek, and 
in two hours were alono-side the vessels. 



CAPTURE OF THE DETROIT AND CALEDONIA. 53 



In ten minutes the crews of each were secured, the topsails 
sheeted home, and the vessels under way. The wind not being 
sufficiently strong to get them up against a rapid current into the 
lake, they were obliged to run down the Niagara, by the forts, 
under a strong fire of round, grape, and canister, from a number 
of pieces of heavy ordnance and flying artillerj^ They anchored 
within four hundred yards of the enemy's battery. The officer 
commanding these was hailed, and informed that if another g-\u\ 
was fired, the prisoners should be brought on deck and share the 
fate which might attend the American crew. This threat was 
disregarded, but the humanity of the American officers prevented 
them from executing it, though a constant and destructive fire 
was kept up from the enemy. The Caledonia succeeded in get- 
ting under the batteries at Black Rock ; but the Detroit could not 
be got across. All her guns were therefore placed upon the side 
next the enemy, and a fire directed against the batteries as long 
as the ammunition lasted. During the contest several attempts 
to warp her over to the American shore were unsuccessfully 
made. The fire from the batteries was so destructive, that Lieu- 
tenant Elliot, expecting that she would soon be sunk if she 
remained in that situation, determined to drift down the river out 
of their reach, and prefer making a stand against the flying artil- 
lery. The cable was accordingly cut, and the Detroit made sail 
with light airs, but the pilot having abandoned her, she brought 
up on the American shore, on Squaw Island. The boarding-boat 
was immediately got ready and sent with the prisoners to the 
American side of the river, with directions to return for Lieute> 
nant Elliot and whatever property could be got out of the brig ; 
the boat, however, could not get back to her. Lieutenant Elliot 
was, therefore, obliged with Lieutenant Roacli and four prisoners, 
to make the shore in a skiff" which they discovered under the 
counter. Protection was then asked for the brig from Lieutenant- 
Colonel Scott, of the second regiment of artillery, who immC' 
diately despatched a company of that corps, under Captain J. N. 
Barker, with a few pieces, to be stationed opposite the island. A 
boat from the British shore approached the brig with forty men, 
who succeeded in getting on board, but the fire of four pieces of 
artillery soon compelled them to abandon her, and she was left in 



E 2 



54 WASP AND FROLIC. 



such a condition that it would be impossible to float her. Captain 
Chambers, and part of the 5th United States regiment, afterwards 
crossed to Squaw Island and burnt her with her valuable cargo 
of furs. The Caledonia's cargo was estimated at two hundred 
thousand dollars. In all these proceedings the American loss 
was three killed, three severely, and four or five slightly wounded. 
Major Cuyler, an officer of great bravery, was killed by the first 
shot from the enemy's batteries, as he stood on the beach ; and 
Midshipman John C. Cummings was wounded in the leg by a 
bayonet as he was boarding the Detroit. The regulars were un- 
used to tliis species of service, but they had entered into it with 
zeal and alacrity, and their conduct was such as entitled them to 
the approbation which they received from their officers. Captain 
Towson and Lieutenant Roach were actively engaged during the 
whole enterprise, and contributed to its success as much by their 
counsel as by their intrepidity. Captain Talbot Chambers (now 
major) it was who destroyed the brig on the island. The artil- 
lery which was stationed on the shore, when the Detroit was 
abandoned by the crew, was served with skill and dexterity. The 
loss of the enemy, by the deserters' report, was about seventy. 

The United States sloop of war Wasp, having returned from 
France and refitted, put to sea again from the Delaware, on the 
13th of October, on a cruise. On the 17th she discovered five 
sail steering eastward, and as several of them had the appearance 
of ships of war, she was placed in such a situation that she might 
escape from, or assail them, as circumstances might require. 
Keeping in the course she had descried them, on the following 
morning at daylight, they were seen ahead, and on being made 
out to be a convoy of six sail, under convoy of a sloop of war, the 
Wasp gave them immediate chase. The convoy, under a heavy 
press of sail, all made their escape and left the sloop of war to 
contend with the Wasp, though four of them were heavy ships, 
and mounted sixteen and eighteen guns. The weather was ex- 
tremely boisterous, and the sea so rough, that the Wasp's guns 
had been already several times under water, she nevertheless, pre- 
pared for action, and at thirty-two minutes past eleven came down 
to windward in handsome style, on the larboard side of the sloop 
of war, and hailed her within about sixty yards. She was the 



WASP AND FROLIC. 55 

the British sloop of war Frolic, Captain Whinyeates, of twenty- 
two guns, and at this moment showed Spanish colours, but upon 
being hailed, she immediately hauled them down, hoisted the 
English ensign, and commenced a fire of cannon and musketry.* 
The action becoming close, the Wasp received a shot which took 
away her main-topmast, threw it over the fore and fore-mainsail 
braces, and made her head yards unmanageable during the re- 
mainder of the action. She w^as soon after w^ounded in her gaff 
and mizzen-topgallant-sail, but kept up, notwithstanding, a close 
and galling fire as her side was going down with the swell of the 
sea, and every shot consequently struck the Frolic's hull. The 
English, as they almost invariably do, fired as their ship was 
rising, and therefore, either missed their aim, or struck only the 
rigging of the Wasp. The Wasp shot ahead, gave a well-directed 
broadside, took station on the larboard bow of the Frolic, and 
gradually neared her, until she lay her on board, although while 
loading another, and the last broadside, the rammers of the guns 
struck the side of the enemy's vessel. The Frolic had long 
before slackened her fire, and her jibboom having now entered 
between the main and mizzen rigging of the Wasp, two of the 
latter's guns were brought through her bow ports and swept her 
whole deck. The borders were immediately called, and such 

* The following is an extract from Captain Jones's official account of the battle : 

" The courage and exertions of the officers and crew fully answered my expectations 
and wishes. Lieutenant Biddle's active conduct contributed much to our success, by 
the exact attention paid to every department during the engagement, and the animating 
example he afforded the crew by his intrepidity. Lieutenants Rodgers, Booth, and Mr. 
Rapp, showed, by the incessant fire from their divisions, that they were not to be sur- 
passed in resolution or skill. Mr. Knight and every other officer acted with a courage 
and promptitude highly honourable, and I trust have given assurance that they may be 
relied on whenever their services may be required. 

"I could not ascertain the exact loss of the enemy, as many of the dead lay buried 
imder the masts and spars that had fallen upon deck, which two hours' exertion had not 
sufficiently removed. Mr. Biddle, who had charge of the Frolic, states that from what 
he saw and from information from the officers, the number of killed must have been about 
thirty, and that of the wounded about forty or lifty — of the killed is her first lieutenant 
and sailingmaster ; of the wounded, Captain Whinyeates and the second lieutenant. 

"We had five killed and five wounded as per list; the wounded are recovering. 
Lieutenant Claxton, who was confined by sickness, left his bed a little previous to the 
engagement, and thougli too weak to be at his division, remained on deck and showed 
by his composed manner of noting incidents, that we had lost, by his illness, the services 
of a brave officer." 



56 WASP AND FROLIC. 



was the anxiety of every man to be the first upon her deck, that 
several of them were pulled down upon their own ship from the 
bowsprit of the Frolic. Lieutenant Biddle, who was a supernu- 
merary officer of the Wasp, had mounted the hammock cloth to 
board, but his feet getting entangled in the rigging of the Frolic's 
bowsprit, Midshipman J. G. Baker, in his enthusiastic ardour, 
caught the lieutenant by the coat, drew him back upon the Wasp's 
deck, and was himself the first officer on that of the enemy. 
Lieutenant Biddle, however, immediately sprang up, ascended 
the Frolic's bowsprit, and upon getting on her deck found not a 
single man alive, except a seaman at the wheel and three officers, 
who threw down their swords and yielded. The Frolic's colours 
were still flying, and Lieutenant Biddle jumping into the rigging, 
pulled down the English ensign himself Her birth-deck was 
crowded with dead and wounded, and her main-deck slippery 
with blood ; her loss could not be accurately ascertained, as many 
of the dead had been swept into the sea by the falling of her rig- 
ging, and others were buried under the spars which had fallen on 
the deck ; but by the declaration of her own officers it could not be 
less than thirty killed and about fifty wounded . The Wasp lost five 
killed and five wounded. Lieutenant Biddle was put on board 
the Frolic with a prize crew, with orders to make a southern 
port, but the approach of a British ship of the line, the Poictiers, 
Sir J. P. Beresford, of seventy-four guns, made it necessary for both 
ships to make sail for the most convenient port. The Frolic was 
so much damaged, and the Wasp so disabled in her rigging, that 
the enemy closed upon them fast, fired a shot over and passed the 
Frolic, pursued the Wasp, and made capture of both, and ordered 
them to Bermuda. 

Thus terminated a spirited and brilliant contest of forty-three 
minutes, in the capture of an enemy's vessel, four guns superior 
at least to her antagonist. The conduct of the American officers 
and seamen showed that they were not to be surpassed in prompti- 
tude or courage ; to that of Lieutenant Biddle, and Lieutenant 
Rodgers, first of the ship, and every other commissioned and 
warrant officer on board. Captain Jones has given official tes- 
timony. 

A seaman, of the name of Jack Lang, gave a very extraordinary 



UNITED STATES AND MACEDONIAN. 57 

instance of bravery and eccentricity, by mounting the enemy's 
bowsprit before any of his brother sailors had attempted to do so, 
though called back by his commander, and by the jocose manner 
in which he descended from it to the deck of the Frolic, with 
many humorous expressions peculiar to his profession. Lieu- 
tenants Booth and Mr. Rapp, and Midshipmen Gaunt and Baker, 
the latter of whom died in Bermuda, behaved with great personal 
bravery. Lieutenant Claxton, wdio w^as confined by sickness, left 
his bed, went upon deck, and noted the incidents of the engage- 
ment with great composure. 

When Captain Jones returned from Bermuda he received from 
his countrymen as many flattering testimonials of their approba- 
tion as they had previously given to Captain Hull. The legisla- 
tures of Massachusetts, New York, and Delaware, of which latter 
state he was a native, presented him with their thanks, and several 
elegant swords and pieces of plate. The order of Cincinnati admit- 
ted him into the society as an honorary member, as they had Captain 
Hull ; and the Congress of the United States voted him, his offi- 
cers, and crew, twenty-five thousand dollars, in consideration of 
the loss they met with by not being able to bring in the Frolic. 

The next naval action took place on the 25tli of Octo- 
ber, and terminated in the victory of the United States frigate 
United States, over the British frigate Macedonian, the command 
of wdiich, upon her being brought into port, refitted and taken 
into the service, was given to Lieutenant-Commandant Jones, 
wdio, as a further testimony of the high opinion which the execu- 
tive entertained of his gallant conduct in the capture of the Frolic, 
was now promoted to the rank of post-captain. The events of 
that engagement, in the order of succession, should have been 
recorded in the present chapter. They will l^e found, however, 
in another naval section of the work. 

Though the enemy gained no advantages over our forces on 
the ocean which could counter-balance the disasters he sustained 
by these successive triumphs of the American arms, his superior 
class of ships made capture of several of our smaller vessels of 
war. The squadron which had pursued the Constitution on the 
18th of July, captured a day or two after, the United States 
schooner Nautilus, of twelve guns, commanded by Lieutenant- 



58 LOSS OF THE VIXEN. 

Commandant Crane; and on the 22d November, the United 
States schooner Vixen, Lieutenant-Commandant George Wash- 
ington Reed, of the same number of guns, was captured, after a 
chase of nine hours and a half, by the British frigate Southamp- 
ton, Sir James Lucas Yeo. Though the Vixen was commanded 
by a skilful and scientific seaman, and manned by as gallant a 
crew as any other American vessel, every effort to escape was 
found to be fruitless, and she was at length surrendered to a ship 
as much her superior in sailing as in force. She had not long 
been captive to the enemy before both vessels ran ashore and 
were immediately wrecked. The frigates' crew became mutinous 
from intoxication, and the property which was saved from both 
wrecks was retrieved by the generous and indefatigable exertions 
of the American sailors. Captain Reed, himself, was as actually 
engaged in the direction and encouragement of the men, as any 
of the British officers, and he received the public acknowledg- 
ments of Sir James, accompanied by an offer of his parole to 
return home. But such were the noble sentiments by which he was 
ever actuated, that he would not leave his officers and men, and 
preferring to remain with them in an unhealthy climate, to which 
they were taken, he became a victim to an obstinate fever, brought 
on by the anxieties and fatigues to which, by his unpleasant situa- 
tion, and his unremitting attention to the comforts of his men, he 
was necessarily exposed. His interment was attended hj the 
British officers, and a detachment from the garrison, and his fune- 
ral obsequies were accompanied by those honours due to his rank 
which are seldom withheld from a l^rave enemy. 

A splendid triumph seldom fails to excite the general joy, and 
to call forth the universal admiration of the people. The rapid 
succession in which the naval conquests followed each other — the 
superiority of seamanship and gunnery which was exhibited in 
each, and the fact being now well ascertained that the inexperienced 
crews of the American navy could not only sustain a conflict with, 
but might actually capture the veteran seamen of the enemy, 
whenever chance should bring them together, upon equal terms ; 
the attention of Congress was turned to the marine establishment, 
and the majority of the nation were desirous that measures should 
be immediately adopted for its enlargement. 



PRIVATEERS. 59 



In the naval part of the war, the national ships were actively 
assisted by privateers. Twenty-six of these vessels, carrying 
two hundred and twelve guns, and two thousand two hundred 
and thirty-nine men, were fitted out from New Yorlc, and seven- 
teen vessels, carrying one hundred and forty-three guns, and one 
thousand five hundred and thirty-eight men, from Baltimore, in 
1812. The other seaports contributed proportionally to this 
force, by which the commerce of the enemy suffered very 
severely. Our space will permit but a slight notice of their 
operations. 

The Nonsuch privateer of Baltimore, Captain Levely, carry- 
ing twelve twelve-pound carronades, and (at that time) between 
eighty and ninety men, on the 28th of September, 1812, fell in 
with a ship and schooner under British colours, the ship carry- 
ing sixteen eighteen and twenty-four-pound carronades, and two 
hundred men, including soldiers; and the schooner six four- 
pounders, and sixty men. " When within reach of the ship," 
says the logbook of the Nonsuch, " she gave us a broadside. 
Bore down upon her, and hoisted American colours, and re- 
turned ten broadsides, accompanied each time with a heavy vol- 
ley of musketry ; the ship and schooner keeping up a heavy fire 
upon us with their great guns and musketry. The engagement 
lasted three hoiu's and twenty minutes, when the bolts and 
breachings of our guns, fore and aft, were carried away, on both 
sides. We could then only fire our musketry, or should have 
certainly captured them both. Dismounted several of the ship's 
guns, and damaged her very much in her hull and rigging. 
From the confusion which appeared on board, we judge that we 
must have killed a number of men. She bore away for Mar- 
tinico. We being much crippled in our rigging, could not pursue 
her. Our crew all fought like true Americans." 

The only other action which we shall notice, is thus described 
by a resident at Laguira, who saw it. 

" On the 9th of December, the private armed schooner Sara- 
toga, commanded by Captain Charles W. Wooster, made her 
appearance off Laguira. The same day the first lieutenant went 
on shore, and reported that they were twenty-four days from 
New York, and had seen nothing. On the 10th, Captain 



60 PRIVATEERS. 



Wooster ran down and anchored in the Roads, but in a few 
minutes was advised in a note from the American consul, to 
weigh and keep out of the reach of the batteries, as the com- 
mandant had said he would sink her if she came to. He immedi- 
ately comjDlied with this advice, and stood off. He soon disco- 
vered a schooner standing- down the coast, and some miles to wind- 
ward of Laguira. He boarded and captured her. She was laden 
with dry goods to the amount of twenty thousand dollars. The 
next day, at nine a. m., after the fog cleared off, the Saratoga was 
some miles to leeward of Laguira, in shore of a brig, but neither 
near enough to fetch in. At eleven a. m., the brig tacked off 
shore, and soon after the schooner did the same. It was known 
on shore that the brig was well armed and manned, and it was 
generally believed she would take the Saratoga, or at all events 
beat her ofT. The inhabitants all left ofi' their business, from the 
command;mt to the beggar, to see the engagement. The brig 
being so far from the schooner, it was some time before she came 
up with her. They being so far off, the spectators on shore 
could but just discover them from the house-tops; and just as 
they had given up all hope of seeing the battle, they discovered 
them both tacking to shore again. They continued standing in 
until within two leagues of the town, when the Saratoga 
commenced the action from her starboard bow guns, which was 
returned from, the brig's larboard quarter. The action now be- 
came furious, so that both vessels were hid in columns of fire and 
smoke ; but in a few minutes the tiring ceased. When the smoke 
cleared off, no other colours were flying except the American, on 
board the Saratoga, which was victorious. On the 13th, the 
second mate and twenty-five seamen arrived at Laguira, in the 
brig's long-boat, which Captain Wooster had given them, to- 
gether with every article belonging to them. The second mate 
was the only officer that was alive after the action, there being 
great slaughter on board the brig. On board the Saratoga they 
had but one man sbghtly wounded. The brig was the Rachel, 
from Greenock, mounting twelve long nine-pounders, and carry- 
ing sixty men. She had on board a cargo of dry goods, &c., 
invoiced at fifteen thousand pounds sterling." 



HOSTILITIES OF THE CREEK INDIANS. 



Gl 




CHAPTER III. 

|ijfi^ti!itic«5 of t|)c 'Bxetk InlniuK^, 

NTELLIGENCE of the recent mis- 
fortune of the north-western army, of 
the assault upon the troops from Fort 
Chicago, and of the advantages which 
were consequently expected to follow 
those events having been communicated 
by early despatches from the tribes on 
the northern to those of the Creek nation 
on the southern frontiers ; fears were entertained that the result 
of a council of the chiefs of that nation, which was to be held on 
the 22d of October, would be unfavourable to the interests of that 
department of the Union, and that a coalition would be formed 
between the Indians of the two extremities, which might require 
all the energies of the government to suppress. To this council 




62 HOSTILITIES OF THE CREEKS 



of the Creeks, their neighbours, the Choctaws, the Chickasaws, 
and the Cherokees were invited, and if the deliberations of such 
a convention should be influenced by the elation evidently pro- 
duced by the late successes of their northern red brethren, the 
whole frontier from Tennessee to the bay of Mobile, and all the 
settlements between Georgia and the Mississippi, and Tennessee 
and Florida, would be subject to their depredations. The Semi- 
noles, a tribe attached to the Creek nation, were already at war 
with the white people on the borders of East Florida, and had 
murdered several citizens on the Georgia side of the St. Mary's. 
The same hatchet which is raised by one of a chain of tribes, 
linked together by common or confederated interests, is generally 
grasped by all. The Creeks were not dilatory in following an 
example which they at first pretended to restrain, and their out- 
rages surpassed those of any of the northern nations. 

The British, availing themselves of one of the best harbours in 
the Gulf of Mexico, sent several of their vessels loaded with the 
implements of war to Pensacola. The commandant at St. Marks, 
a small Spanish settlement between East and West Florida, 
informed the chiefs that the English would soon be there with 
guns, knives, hatchets, and ammunition for the red people, whom 
they considered to be their friends. These were put into the 
hands of the Indians, and they commenced their hostilities against 
all the defenseless inhabitants of Tennessee and Georgia. The 
presence of an army became now necessary in the south, and the 
states there were authorized to call forth as many of the militia, 
as, in conjunction with the regulars, might be thought competent 
to quell the associated tribes. The Indians of the Creek nation 
are not sul)ject to any kind of restraint in war, they will neither 
give nor receive quarters, and pursue no other mode but that 
which leads to entire extermination. The force necessary to 
combat such an enemy must, therefore be extensive, and the 
executives of the ditferent states made every exertion to arm and 
equip the whole quota of the militia. 

The Seminoles had been committing depredations of the most 
daring nature, before they had any intelligence from their northern 
friends : and uniting to their forces a number of nesrroes whom 
they had captured at Florida, they made frequent incursions into 



BATTLE OF LOTCHWAY TOWN. 63 

tlie state of Georgia, murdered many inhabitants, and carried ofF 
much valuable plunder. On the night of the 11th of September, 
about twenty American troops, principally marines, under com- 
mand of Captain Williams of that corps, were marching with two 
w^ao-ons towards Davis' creek. When within ten miles of their 
destination they were attacked by a party of Indians and negroes 
of about fifty in number, with whom they contended until every 
cartridge was expended. Captain Williams, in the course of that 
time, received eight wounds, and was carried off by two of his 
men, leaving Captain Fort, of the volunteers, to command his 
troops, and to keep up the contest; but he being also wounded, and 
finding the strength of the party to be diminishing, retired in the 
best manner he could, and left the Indians in possession of the 
wagons and teams. The night was excessively dark, and several 
of the men, who were wounded, had concealed themselves in the 
bushes. On the following morning a detachment was sent from a 
block-house a few miles off, to which some of the men had escaped, 
to examine the ground. They found Captain Williams, with his 
right leg and left arm broken, his left leg shot through with one, 
and his right arm with three balls, and a wound through the lower 
part of his body. One man was killed and scalped, and the whole 
number of wounded was six. The Indians destroyed one wagon, 
but took the other to carry off their dead and wounded — of whom 
the number was much greater than that of the marines. Captain 
Williams languished for three or four days, and expired at Davis' 
creek. He was a brave young man, and noted for his sedulous 
attention to the duties of his station. 

On the 24th of the same month, Colonel Newnan, of the 
Georgia volunteers, left Picollata with about one hundred and 
seventeen men for the Lotchway towns. On his third day's 
march, wdien within seven miles of the first of those towns, he 
was met by a body of about one hundred and fifty Indians, all of 
whom were mounted. This meeting was very unexpected to the 
Indians, but they immediately dismounted, formed a line of bat- 
tle, and marched a few paces in advance. This movement was 
intended to intimidate the Georgians, but Colonel Newnan gave 
orders for the charge, and determined to put an end to the encoun- 
ter by entirely subduing the Indians or putting them to flight. 



64 BATTLE OF LOT CH WAY TOWN, 

The battle-ground was situated midst a number of swamps, which 
bounded three of its sides. The Indians remained hrm until the 
Georgians had advanced within fifty paces of their line, when 
they fled to these swamps for safety. The whole of the musketry 
being fired at them with precision, made great execution, and 
among others, killed their leader. King Paine. His tribe, on hearing 
of his fall, were resolved on rescuing his body from the enemy, and 
returned to the action for that purpose. Several charges were 
now made, and the Indians were constantly driven back, until at 
length they determined on one desperate effort, and recovering 
all their strength and spirits, they made a push against the Geor- 
gians, which, though it was received with firmness, could not be 
resisted with much vigour. The Indians obtained the body of 
King Paine, gave up the conflict, wdiich liad now^ lasted upwards 
of four hours, and carried off their killed and wounded, supposed 
to be between twenty and thirty. 

Before night of the same day, the Indians w^ere reinforced from 
their towns by other Indians and negroes, and renewT.d and kept 
up the action, with the greatest obstinacy, until they began to 
think the volunteers invincible, and again fled. Their force in 
the second attack w^as upwards of two hundred, but they were 
repulsed with nearly the same loss as in the first ; wliilst the 
volunteers loss in both, was one killed and niiie wounded. 

Colonel Newnan's situation Wcis becoming extremely hazard- 
ous; the enemy's numbers were hourly increasing, and they began 
to surround him on all sides : he therefore threw up a small breast- 
work, from which he was determined to defend himself until his 
troops should be reinforced also. He had already despatched 
expresses to procure additional nuTnbers. His w^ounded men ren- 
dered him unable to retreat or to advance ; and he repelled every 
assault which was made upon this little work until the 4th day 
of October. The Indians were continually harassing him, day 
and night ; and finding they could make no impression on his 
fortification, they glutted their insatiable vengeance by shooting 
all his horses. On the 4th, a perfect silence prevailed in Colonel 
Newnan's camp, and the Indians suspected from that, and the 
circumstance that their fire had not been returned the day pre- 
ceding, that he had deserted it in the night. Under this assur- 



BATTLE OF L OT C H W A Y TO W N. 65 

ance they approached the works, without any thought of opposition 
until they were within forty paces of them, when the Georgian 
troops suddenly showed themselves, compelled the Indians to 
retreat with precipitation, and after several rapid discharges of 
musketr}^, killed and wounded about thirty warriors more. They 
then decamped, without being molested, and were stationed about 
ten miles off, on the Picolatta road, where they were obliged to 
await the arrival of fresh horses and provisions. Colonel New- 
nan's account of this affair bestows a high degree of credit upon 
every volunteer of his detachment ; and their intrepid conduct, as 
well as his judicious arrangements, served to give a checl^: to the 
combined red and black warriors, which promised security to the 
neighbourhood, at least, until larger forces should be or"-anized. 
Besides the loss of King Paine, the Indians had three of the prin- 
cipal chiefs and their young governor slain ; and Bow-legs, their 
second in command, severely wounded. 




r 2 



6G ORGANIZATION OF THE N R T II - WE ST E R N ARMY 




Gtneidl Harribon. 

CHAPTER IV. 




VIMEDIATELY after the surrender 
of the garrisons at MichiUmackinac, 
Chicago, and Detroit, measures were 
adopted for the organization and equip- 
ment of a new army. An offer had 
,^ been made to receive volunteers into 
the service from the states and territo- 
ries in the neighbourhood of Michigan, 
and they came forward w4th an alacrity 
which made it unnecessary to hold out allurements. The recovery 
of the surrendered territory, and the re-establishment of its former 
civil government, were the strong motives which induced all the 
brave and patriotic men in its vicinity to take up arms and march 
against the invaders. The inhabitants of that territory were now 
governed by an authority too rigorous to be compatible with 
those notions of liberty inspired by the genius of their own con- 
stitution, and they were awaiting the expected succour from their 
friends with the deepest anxiety. 

The new army was in readiness almost instantly, the different 
corps concentrated with unprecedented celerity, and by the early 
part of Septeml^er their disposition was completed. Two thou- 



DEFENSE OF FORT HARRISON. 67 

sand Pennsylvania volunteers, under Brigadier-General Crooks, 
left Pittsburg for the shores of Lake Erie; General Tupper's 
briofade of Ohio volunteers was to retrace the road which had 
been formed by the first army, from Urbanna to the Rapids ; and 
a brigade of Virginians, wdien they should arrive, under General 
Leftwhich, was to pursue the same route. General Payne's bri- 
gade of Kentucky volunteers, the first of the present army wdiich 
was in readiness, and the 17th United States regiment, under 
Colonel Wells, were to proceed to Fort Wayne, and descend to 
the Rapids of the Miami of the lakes, which place was assigned for 
the general rendezvous. 

The command of the second north-western army was given, by 
the unanimous washes of the troops composing it, to General 
William H. Harrison ; the immediate command of the Kentucky 
troops under General Payne, devolved on him, by his being bre- 
vetted a major-general by .the governor of that state. 

Forts Harrison and Wayne were at this time garrisoned only 
by a few regulars and volunteers ; numerous British and Indian 
forces had already marched from Maiden to lay waste the Ohio 
frontier, and the latter post would naturally be their leading point. 
General Harrison, therefore, immediately marched to its relief 
with Payne's brigade and the regulars. 

The former post (Fort Harrison) was invested on the 3d of 
September by the Prophet's party from the Wabash. On the 
night of the 4th they set fire to one of the block-houses, contain- 
ing the contractor's property, and followed up that act by a reso- 
lute attack upon the fort. The garrison was commanded by 
Captain Zachary Taylor, of the 7th United States infantry, and 
consisted of only eighteen eifective men. The flames w^ere rag- 
ing — the Indians, about three hundred in number, were howling 
in their usual horrid manner, and the w^omen and children of the 
barracks were crying for protection which they did not expect to 
receive. When the block-house should be entirely consumed, a 
large entrance w^ould be open to the enemy ; no efforts had yet 
succeeded to extinguish the fire; its ascendency bafiled every 
attempt — and the men themselves began to despond. Two of 
the stoutest jumped over the pickets, with a hope of escaping in 
the dark ; but one of them was cut to pieces and scalped, and the 



68 DEFENSE OF FORT HARRISON. 



other returned with his arm broken, and implored to be re-admit- 
ted into the fort. Under these discouraging circumstances, Cap- 
tain Taylor never suffered his presence of mind to forsake him ; 
and applying the only resource now left him, he ordered a small 
party to dislodge the roof of the house, so that it might fall in the 
space, whilst a few men in another house were to keep up a con- 
tinual fire upon the Indians. His plan succeeded — the men 
became confident in their exertions, and a breastwork was formed 
under a heavy shower of bullets, along the cavity which the de- 
struction of the block-house produced. A desperate defense was 
now made, and a constant and rapid fire kept up until six o'clock 
in the morning of the 5th. Several furious assaults had been 
repulsed, and the Indians, at the approach of day, judging the 
number of the garrison to be greater than it actually was, retired 
with a quantity of captured cattle, after having shot all the horses 
belono-ino- to the fort. Doctor Clarke was the most indefatigable 
man in the engagement, and Captain Taylor's good conduct was 
so highly applauded, that the president soon after promoted him 
to a majority. Two men only were killed, with the exception of 
the deserter, and one wounded. The Indians always carry off 
their dead, unless their numbers are too small, and their loss is 
seldom without great difficulty ascertained. All the provisions 
were consumed by the fire, and the garrison compelled to subsist 
on green corn until reinforcements should come on with supplies. 
The little band, which was now reduced to fourteen men, repaired 
the damages sustained by the fort, and constructed a strong forti- 
fication across the space. The bastions were all put in the best 
state of defense, and every precaution adopted to sustain a second 
assault. To the great joy of the garrison, however. Colonel Wil- 
liam Russell arrived about the 16th, from Illinois, with six hun- 
dred mounted rangers and five hundred infantry, and Fort 
Harrison became sufficiently manned to resist the attack of a 
much larger body of the Prophet's warriors. 

The situation of Fort Wayne was now more critical than that 
of any other fortress in the west. The Indians, who had pro- 
ceeded from the battle-ground of Chicago, were afterwards rein- 
forced by those from Maiden, and they laid siege to this fortress 
in very large numbers. The troops in garrison amounted to 



DEFENSE OF FORT WAYxNE. 71 

seventy. On the night of the 5th of September the Indians 
commenced an attack, they fired principally upon the sentinels, 
but did no injury. On the 6th, several of the men went out of 
the south gate of the fort, but had not proceeded more than 
seventy paces when two of them were killed, and by the exertions 
of their companions their bodies were carried into the fort, to pro- 
tect them against savage indif^nities. Durin^ the nio;ht another 

O CD CJ CD O 

attack was made by the whole force of the Indians, and wdien 
they approached the fort, it was confidently expected that they 
would scale the works, but the incessant fire of the garrison com- 
pelled them to abandon their designs. What they could not do 
by force they then attempted by stratagem. Resort was had to 
all kinds of artifice, and they at length brought up two wooden 
pieces, which they had contrived in imitation of cannon, to per- 
suade the garrison that the British had supplied them with bat- 
tering pieces to reduce the place. These were brought up, and 
one of their chiefs threatened to batter down the walls unless the 
troops would immediately capitulate, or to storm them on the 
following day, when they would be reinforced by seven hundred 
other warriors. In three days they menaced an entire massacre, 
but the troops in Fort Wayne, still hoping that it would be relieved 
by the arrival of the expected volunteers, resolved to hold out 
until every article of provision should be exhausted. No other 
attempts were made upon the fort until the 9th, when a firing 
was commenced and continued at intervals all day, but without 
doing any damage. On the succeeding day they began their 
war-whoop, renewed their fire, and were again unsuccessful. Not 
a man was killed in any of their attacks, the only wounds which 
they inflicted being upon those who ventured w-ithout the fort. 
On the evening of the 12th, General Harrison's forces reached 
the garrison, and the whole Indian body precipitately fled. 

The depredations which they had committed about the fort 
were as inhuman as they were extensive. All the stock upon the 
neighbouring farms was destroyed ; the corn, all the small grain, 
and everv house burned; and all the horses and cattle killed. 
The Indian agent, Stephen Johnson, was murdered, and his body 
treated with shocking indecency : and, indeed, the commission of 
no act indicative of savage vengeance was omitted. The approach 



72 MIAMI TOWNS DESTROYED. 



of the regulars and volunteers, prevented perhaps, the destruction 
of the fields at a greater distance, and secured a supply of Indian 
corn for the garrison. But the great augmentation of the troops 
made it necessary to obtain supplies of other provisions, from the 
towns of those tribes which had been so active in destroying what 
the farms miglit have afforded. It was now high time, too, to 
make the Indians feel those effects of the war which their repeated 
cruelties had provolved, and to convince them that the American 
troops were not quite so contemptible and degraded as the Indians 
implied them to be from the surrender of the late commander-in- 
chief on the same station. General Harrison, therefore, divided 
his forces into scouting parties, under the command of his most 
active ofiicers. Several expeditions were forwarded against the 
Indian settlements, and some expectations entertained that they 
might Ije drawn into iDattle. But they did not betray the same 
willingness to combat these corps which they had heretofore shown 
to encounter others. The Kentuckians w^ere held in great dread 
by most of the Indian warriors, and the expression of ''Kentucky 
too viuch,''' has not unfrequently accompanied their orders to 
retreat, in the form of justification. On the 14th, General Harri- 
son despatched Colonel Wells, with his own and Colonel Scott's 
regiments, and two hundred mounted riflemen, with instructions 
to proceed up the river St. Joseph, which, with the St. Mary's, 
forms the Miami of the lakes, and to destroy the Pottawatomie 
towns at Elk Hart. Another detachment, consisting of Colonels 
.Allen's and Lewis' regiments, and Captain Garrard's troop, under 
command of General Payne, but which the commander-in-chief 
accompanied, proceeded, on the same day, to the destruction of 
the Miami towns on the forks of the Wabash. The object of each 
expedition was accomplished without opposition, the Indians of 
those tribes having abandoned their villages, and the different 
detachments returned to the fort on the 18th. 

Several Indian tril^es, who constantly resisted the solicitations 
of the enemy to join their standard, had before this time expressed 
their desires of being taken into the service of the United States ; 
arrangements having been made between General Harrison and 
the executive government, wdiich authorized him to employ them, 
he had accepted the services of Logan, a chief of reputation as a 



HARRISON SUPERSEDED. 73 

warrior, and was accompanied by him on his march towards Fort 
Wayne. On the arrival of the troops at that place, Logan went 
forward with about seven hundred men, raised an Indian yell, 
and pursued the retreating tribes. This signal was answered by 
them, at the distance of only one hundred and fifty yards; but 
the intervention of the river and several other obstacles, prevented 
the pursuit being attended with effect. 

General Winchester, of the United States army, arrived at 
Fort Wayne immediately after the expedition against the Indian 
villages, and the command of the detachments under General 
Payne and Colonel Wells, was resigned to him in obedience to 
the orders of the war department. The volunteers, who had 
centred all their affections in the person of the commander of their 
choice, were not satisfied with this change until General Harri- 
son reminded them of the revolutionary services of his successor, 
and communicated to them the instructions from the department 
confirming him in the command of all the troops but those which 
were assigned to General Winchester. 

The strength of this army was continually augmenting. A^o- 
lunteer associations to a greater number than it was politic to 
receive into the service, were formed, equipped, and ready to 
march against the enemy in the same day, and a selection was 
made from among them of such a force as was at that time re- 
cjuired, in conjunction with the troops which had already marched, 
to make the army complete. But such was the patriotic impetuo- 
sity of the western people, that many of the corps who were not 
fortunate enough to be received, immediately provided themselves 
at their own expense, and insisted upon accompanying their fel- 
low-citizens to the field. 

The siege of Fort Wayne having been raised by the Indians, 
it now entered into the views of the two g-enerals to march forces 
to the relief of the intermediate garrisons between that place and 
Detroit, against which an ultimate movement was to be made ; 
the leading object of the expedition Ijeing to regain the ground 
which had been lost, and to retrieve the late disaster, not only by 
repossessing that fortress, but by the capture of Maiden and all 
the great rallying points of the northern Indians. Through the 

G 10 



74 LOSS OF LIGETT's PARTY. 

exertions of the indefatigable governor of Ohio,* every necessary 
supply was forwarded with the greatest possible despatch, and 
General Winchester therefore advanced to Fort Defiance, whilst 
General Harrison fixed his head-quarters at St. Mary's; distance 
from each other sixty miles. The troops destined for Defiance 
amounted to about two thousand. On the 22d of September, 
they marched cautiously in three divisions, the baggage being in 
the centre, and a company of spies, under Captain Ballard, pro- 
tected by Garrard's troop of dragoons, about one or two miles in 
front. As it was necessary to guard against surprise from a watch- 
ful enemy, whose principle it is to assault his foe while sleeping, 
they encamped each day at three o'clock, and threw up breast- 
works around the tents, at the distance of about twenty paces. 
On the fourth day's march. Ensign Ligett of the regulars, and 
four of the volunteers, proposed, and were permitted to go forward 
and discover the strength and situation of the enemy at Defiance, 
which was then distant about twenty-five miles. B ut their enter- 
prise, which was too hazardous for any but experienced men, en- 
tirely failed. These adventurous young men were assailed on the 
night of the 25th, and though they defended themselves until their 
strength was exhausted, were overpowered, killed, tomahawked, 
and scalped in the usual barbarous manner of the Indians. 

On the 27th, Captain Ballard, who was reputed in that army 
for his courage and prudence, was ordered to go out with his 
company of spies, supported by forty of Garrard's dragoons, and 
bury the bodies of the young men, whose death was now known 
of in the camp. When within aliout two miles of the spot where 
they had been kiUed, Ballard discovered an Indian ambuscade, 
but as he had marched his men in two divisions, placing one on 

* Hisexcellency, Return J. Meiirs, afterwards postmaster-general of the United States, 
whose active zeal in the service of his country was manifested by his administration of 
the civil affairs of the state over which he presided, before and after the commencement 
of hostilities. When the invasion of Ohio was threatened by General Brock after he 
took possession of Michig-an, Governor Meigs, with incessant diligence, highly honour- 
able to his patriotism, equipped, provided, and organized one army after another, until 
the safety of the state was secured, and the mass of the inhabitants of that devoted ter- 
ritory fled to him for protection. Several members of his own family were among the 
volunteers, and one of his brothers was one of the three men killed at the siege of Fort 
Wayne. 



GENERAL WINCHESTER LEAVES FORT WAYNE. 



75 



each side of an Indian trace, tlirougli which the enemy supposed 
the vohmteers would advance, the ambuscade became useless, 
and the Indians succeeded in gaining an eminence ; whilst they 
were forming. Captain Ballard gave thein a galling fire, which 
they immediately returned, accompanied by a loud and terrific 
yell. Ballard ordered up the horse and charged upon, and put 
them to the route. Pursuit was given, but the enemy knew the 
country better than the dragoons, and escaped into the swamps 
and thickets with the loss of four or five wounded. No injury 
of consequence enough to name was sustained by the volunteers. 

On the 2Sth, Ballard's spies were again sent forward, and dis- 
covered a fresh trail of Indians. On communicating which to 
the general, he ordered twenty troopers to cross the river to as- 
certain whether the wagons could pass, and on finding a tolerable 
ford, the whole army crossed about five miles above Fort De- 
fiance, and encamped on its bank. At one hundred yards from 
the edge of the river, another trail was discovered, when Captain 
Garrard was despatched, with twenty of his troops, to proceed 
and ascertain by whom it was made. Three miles below General 
Winchester's encampment, and two miles above Defiance, the 
enemy were observed to be encamped in large numbers, with 
war poles erected and the bloody flag flying. When the army 
commenced its march from Fort Wayne, the troops were provided 
with six days rations only, but Colonel Jenning's regiment was to 
meet them with provisions at Fort Defiance. At a certain point 
on the Aux Glaize, the colonel was directed to halt and erect a 
block-house, which having done, he ascertained by his spies, that 
the British and Indians were encamped near the fort, and with- 
out reinforcements it would have been imprudent to have pro- 
ceeded further. Late on the night of the 29tli, he therefore for- 
warded an express to General Winchester, to make known his 
situation, forty miles above Fort Defiance; and as the troops were 
now nearly starving, Captain Garrard proceeded with great de- 
spatch to Colonel Jenning's regiment, to escort with his dragoons, 
a brigade of pack-horses with provisions for their relief, and 
effected a hazardous tour in thirty-six hours, though all the time 
drenched with incessant rain. 

General Winchester, seeing that his force was far inferior to 



76 



W INC 11 ester's EXPRESSES TO HARRISON. 



that of the newly discovered enemy, and finding himself in their 
immediate vicinity, despatched expresses to General Harrison 
at the St. Mary's, to obtain reinforcements, and to apprize him 
of the situation of the left wing. Expecting the required relief 
in a few days, he put his encampment in a state of defense, by 
fortifying himself on the front and sides, and kept out reconnoi- 
tering parties, who were to communicate with him the moment 
the enemy should come out to attack him. On the other hand, 
the enemy had possession of Fort Defiance, and were repairing 
and enlaro-ino: its armament. 




THE BRITISH EVACUATE FORT DEFIANCE. 



77 





CHAPTER V. 

■-g^-^,^-^ ENERAL HARRISON, on receiving Ge- 
neral Winchester's despatch, immediately 
took up his march with General Tupper's 
mounted men, and arrived at the encamp- 
ment near Defiance, when he moved forward 
with the whole force to attack that fort. But 
the British and Indians had evacuated it, as soon as they heard 
of his approach, and taking away the cannon with which they 
had increased the armament, proceeded down the Miami to the 
rapids. The mounted men were ordered to pursue the retreating 
enemy, and to destroy their encampment at that place; and 
General Harrison left Fort Defiance on the 5th, to join the right 
wing of the army, and to concentrate the whole at the appointed 
rendezvous, at the Miami of the Lakes. After his departure. 
General Winchester countermanded the order to General Tupper, 
and the expedition against the Indians at the rapids, was conse- 
quently frustrated. 

Until the contemplated concentration could be effected, no 
movement could be made which would promote the ultimate 
object of the campaign, and the troops at Fort Defiance, which 



78 DEATH OF LOGAN. 



now assumed the name of Fort Winchester, remained in that 
garrison until the 14th of December. 

In this interval, Logan, with about thirty friendly Indians, at- 
tempted to examine the movements and situation of the enemy 
on the Miami, where his party was discovered and dispersed. 
Logan and six of them returned, the remainder escaped in another 
direction. 

On the 22d of November, he was again ordered by General 
Winchester, to take two Indians and go forward to make dis- 
coveries. Early in the day they were met and captured by the 
celebrated hostile chief, Wynemack, and a party of five Indians. 
Logan resorted to a stratagem, by which he persuaded Wyne- 
mack that he had come to join him, and he and his tw^o men 
were therefore allowed to carry their arms and march in front. 
Loo^an havino^ communicated to his comrades his determination 
to rescue himself or perish in the effort, they suddenly turned 
upon their enemy on the first opportunity, and each brought his 
man to the ground ; Wynemack being among them. The re- 
maining three fired in return, shot Logan and one of his Indians 
and retired. Logan exchanged the shot, notwithstanding his 
wound was mortal, and springing with his wounded companion 
upon the horses of two of those whom they had just killed, whilst 
his third man protected him in his retreat, he returned to Fort 
Winchester. On the 28tli he died, w^ith the firmness of a brave 
warrior, sincerely regretted by the whole garrison, who knew him 
to be a distinguished, and considered him a useful leader. At 
Franklinton, General Harrison was actively employed in forward- 
ing ammunition, pieces of ordnance, ordnance stores, provisions, 
&c., and arranging depots for their reception on the road, which 
was designated for the right wing of the army. 

On the 18th of November, he sent Lieutenant-Colonel J. B. 
Campbell with a detachment of six hundred men on an expedition 
against the Indians of the Miami tribes, residing in the Missis- 
sinewa towns. On the morning of the 17th December the de- 
tachment charged on the first of those towns, drove the Indians 
across the Mississinewa river, killed seven warriors, and took 
thirty-seven prisoners. During this contest a part of the detach- 
ment was sent to the other towns, A\-hich were immediately 



T E C U M S E II. 



79 



evacuated by the inhabitants, and soon after destroyed by the de- 
tachment, which then returned to the ground first occupied. On 
the morning of tlie ISth, at dayhght, the camp was attacked by a 
number of Indians, of the Miami and Delaware tribes, amounting 
to about tliree hundred. The attack commenced on the rio^ht of 
the line, which w^as occupied by Major Ball's squadron of horse, 
who gallantly contended against them for one hour, and sustained 
almost the whole conflict. The Indians then fell back, and were 
courageously charged by Captain Trotter at the head of his com- 
pany of Kentucky dragoons. 

In this charge Captain Trotter was wounded in the hand : the 
Indians fled with great velocity, and were pursued as far as was 
thought prudent. Captain Pierce, of the Zanesville troop was 
killed, whilst he was charging the foe. Lieutenant Waltz was 
shot through the arm, but being resolved on losing no share of 
honour, he remounted his horse, and in that act was killed by a 
shot through the head. He was of the Pennsylvania volunteers. 
Captains Markle and M'Clelland of the same corps, and Captains 
Garrard and Hopkins were complimented by the commanding 
general. Lieutenant-Colonel Simmerall, Major M'Dowell, and 
Captains Hite and Smith, are said to have distinguished them- 
selves with persevering bravery ; and the whole detachment 
exhibiting throughout a great degree of patience, fortitude, and 
coolness, rendered the victory more honourable to the American 
arms, by respecting the high and inestimable principles of hu- 
manity, and rendering them, as they ever ought to be, inseparable 
from bravery. The general's orders, on their departure, were to 
that effect, and the most rigid obedience was paid to them. 

The battle being ended, and the object of the expedition com- 
pletely accomplished. Colonel Campbell took up his march for 
Greeneville on his return, having first forwarded an express for 
reinforcements, Tecumseh being reported to be in the neighbour- 
hood with five hundred warriors, and the name of Tecumseh had 
now become terrible. If the detachment should be intercepted 
an obstinate engagement must follow, and by the morning report 
of the 24th, three hundred and three of the men were rendered 
unfit for duty by being frost bitten ; an attack from a superior 
body of Indians could not therefore be sustained with any pros- 



80 PREPARATIONS OF GENERAL HARRISON. 

pect of success. The detachment reached Greeneville, however, 
without being once molested, and the citizens received the troops 
with marks of admiration for their gallantry, and for the lustre 
which they had thrown upon the north-western army. In the 
destruction of the first town the American loss was one killed and 
one wounded. In the action of the following morning, eight 
killed and twenty-five wounded ; the Indian loss in killed was 
known to be forty, the number of wounded could not be ascer- 
tained. The prisoners were brought away by the detachment. 
It has been thought to be unaccountable that the Indians did not 
attack the detachment in its retrograde movement, but this cir- 
cumstance may be attributed to the loss of their prophet, who 
it is supposed hy many, was killed in the second engagement. 

Notwitlistanding the season was already so far advanced, and 
the difficulties in marching against the enemy were every day 
increasing. General Harrison was too steadily determined on the 
recovery of Michigan, and the subjugation of Maiden and the 
country surrounding it, to l)e put aside from his views by any 
such obstacles. Every implement was provided which might 
possibly be necessary, the military stores and trains of artillery 
were already at the different depots, and the troops from Penn- 
sylvania being at Mansfield, those from Virginia at Delaware, and 
those from Ohio at Fort M' Arthur, the purposed concentration 
could be almost immediately effected. General Winchester with 
the left wing, moved from Fort Winchester to the Rapids, in con- 
formity to the previous order of General Harrison, who was now 
commissioned a major-general in the army of the United States, 
and appointed to the command of the north-western army. A 
line of posts was to be established, and strong fortifications erected 
as intermediate places of rendezvous, at equal distances between 
Defiance and Detroit ; and that he might with more convenience 
superintend the building of these, the commander-in-chief fixed 
his head-quarters at Upper Sandusky. 

A brigade of Kentuckians had been sent into the Indiana ter- 
ritory, under General Samuel Hopkins, with instructions to attack 
every settlement on the Wabash, and then to fall upon the Illi- 
nois. On the 11th of November they marched from Fort Harri- 
son with a view to the destruction of the Prophet's town. Seven 



GENERAL HOPKINS EXPEDITION. 81 

boats, with provisions, forage, and military stores, commanded by- 
Colonel Barbour, accompanied the expedition, and the troops 
marched on the east side of the Wabash to protect them, until the 
19th, when they reached the town, and w^ere engaged three days 
in the destruction of it and a large Kickapoo village adjoining, 
while General Butler, with three hundred men, surrounded and 
destroyed the Winnebago town on the Ponce-passu creek : each 
of these towns had been abandoned by the Indian warriors, and 
a small party was sent out to reconnoiter the surrounding woods 
and to seek out their hiding-places. Several Indians showed 
themselves, fired on the party, killed one man and compelled the 
others to retire. This occurrence was no sooner made known to 
the troops than sixty horsemen offered to proceed to the ground 
to bury their companion and to encounter the enemy. When 
they attained the point, near the Indian encampment, they were 
fired upon from an ambuscade and eighteen of the party were 
killed and wounded, among them several promising young offi- 
cers. The enemy had taken possession of a strong defensive 
position, in which there w^as no hope of effectually assailing him, 
having a deep rapid creek in its rear in the form of a semicircle, 
and being fronted by a high and almost perpendicular bluff of 
one hundred feet, which could only be penetrated by three steep 
ravines. The death of these gallant young men excited a spirit 
of revenge among the troops, and they moved forward under a 
heavy fall of snow, determined to attack the enemy in his strono-- 
hold at every risk. But on arriving at the place they found that 
the Indians had evacuated it and crossed over Ponce-passu on 
their retreat. There being now no certain point to which the 
operations of the troops could be directed, General Hopkins gave 
orders for their return to Fort Harrison, where they arrived after 
an absence of sixteen days, having in that time traversed one 
hundred miles of a country of which, to use the words of their 
commander, they had no cognizance. 



11 



82 



OPERATIONS ON THE NORTHERN FRONTIER. 




CHAPTER VI. 



)i?iraH©ng oe t|)$ KsrllufSJ! Jpiontifj in flL©Jl^a 




'HILST these events were transpiring in the 
western department of the Union, dispositions 
had been made and troops collected at the 
different stations along the Niagara river, from 
Lake Erie to Lake Ontario; and beyond the 
latter along; the shore of the St. Lawrence. 
Excursions from the American to the British 
shores of the rivers had been frequently made, and on some oc- 
casions were followed by smart skirmishes. The chief command 
of these forces was given to Major-General Dearborn. The im- 
mediate command of the troops on the Niagara to Major-General 
Van Renssellaer of the militia of the state of New York. Briga- 
dier-General Smyth was stationed at Black Rock. The troops 
on the St. Lawrence were principally garrisoned at Ogdensburg, 
and commanded by Brigadier-General Brown, also of the New 
York militia. 

On the 15th of September twenty-five British boats passed 
Madrid up the St. Lawrence, laden with military stores and mu- 
nitions of war. About one hundred and forty of the militia from 
Ogdensburg and Hamilton, with one gun-boat, posted themselves 
on an island to obstruct their passage. The enemy, approaching 



CAPTURE OF GANANOQUE. 83 

the head of the river, brought himself immediately in front of this 
island, when a rapid and well-directed fire made him ply for the 
opposite shore, where he took shelter in the woods. The militia 
had no small boats to pursue the flying squadron, and the British 
had time to rally, to procure assistance, and to return to a con- 
test. This they did with little delay, and after an action of three 
hours, they were reinforced by two gun-boats and a large body 
of men from Prescott. The militia being then outnumbered, their 
ammunition nearly exhausted, and their loss one man killed and 
two wounded, abandoned the enterprise and retreated to their 
respective quarters. The injury sustained by the enemy has 
never been known. 

Captain Forsyth of the rifle regiment being at the garrison of 
Ogdensburg, projected an expedition against a small village in 
the town of Leeds, in Canada, called Gananoque. In this village 
was the king's storehouse, containing immense quantities of 
arms and ammunition, and Captain Forsyth was resolved on its 
destruction. In the night of the 20th instant, therefore, a num- 
ber of boats being provided, he embarked with seventy of his own 
men, and thirty-four militia men. Before daylight of the 21st 
they reached the Canadian shore, and landed imobserved at a 
little distance from the village. The enemy soon after discovered 
them, and they were fired on by a party of one hundred and 
twenty-live regulars and militia. Forsyth drew up his men and 
returned their fire with such effect, that the British retreated in 
disorder and were pursued to the village, where they rallied and 
resolved on making a stand, and disputing the passage of a 
bridge. An action took place here which resulted in the same 
manner as the former. The enemy again fled, making his 
escape over the bridge and leaving ten of his number killed, 
eight regulars and several militia men prisoners, and the villao-e 
and storehouse in possession of the American party. Captain 
Forsyth lost one in killed and one wounded. After releasing the 
militia prisoners on their parole, and taking out a quantity of 
arms, fixed ammunition, powder, flints, and other articles of public 
property, and setting fire to the storehouse, he returned to Cape 
Vincent with these and the eight regulars prisoners. 

In retaliation for this daring exploit the enemy determined on 



84 



ATTACK ON OGDENSBURG. 




Defense of Ogdensburg. 

attacking and destroying the town of Ogdensburg. Opposite to 
this is situated the Canadian village of Prescott, before which the 
British had a strong line of breastworks. On the 2d of October 
they opened a heavy cannonading on the town from their bat- 
teries, and continued to bombard it with little intermission until 
the night of the 3d ; one or two buildings only were injured. On 
Sunday the 4th, having prepared forty boats, with from ten to 
fifteen armed men in each, they advanced wdth six pieces of artil- 
lery to storm the town. General Brown commanded at Ogdens- 
burg in person, and when the enemy had advanced within a short 
distance, he ordered his troops to open a warm fire upon them. 
The British, nevertheless, steadily approached the shore, and 
kept up their fire for two hours, during which they sustained the 
galling fire of the Americans, until one of their boats was taken, 
and two others so shattered when they retreated. 

The success of the detachment which had proceeded against 
the briffs Detroit and Caledonia, on the 9th of October, excited a 



EXPEDITION AGAINST QUEENSTOWN. 



85 



strong spirit of enterprise among the troops at the different sta- 
tions along the Niagara. The whole number under the command 
of General Van Renssellaer, amounted, as it is said, to five thou- 
sand eight hundred, and were disposed of in the following manner. 
Two thousand and nine hundred, with which he was himself 
stationed at and near Lewistown. Thirteen hundred regulars, 
under General Smyth, near Black Rock, distance from Lewis- 
town twenty-eight miles. Five hundred militia and volunteers 
at Black Rock and Schlosser. Six companies of field and light 
artillery, (three hundred,) and about five hundred of the 6th and 
13th regiments, and three hundred of the 23d, under Major Mul- 
lany, at Fort Niagara. 

The general was pressed from all quarters to give the troops 
an opportunity of distinguishing themselves, and his own opinion 
was that the crisis of the campaign was rapidly advancing, and, 
as he informed the commander-in-chief, " That the blow 7nust he 
soon struck or the toil and expense of the camjiaign go for nothing, 
for the whole will he tinged with dishonour.'' 

NDER these circumstances, and in- 
fluenced by these impressions, he or- 
dered the regulars, under Lieutenant- 
Colonel Fen wick and Major Mullany, to leave 
Fort Niagara and proceed to his head-quarters 
at Lewistown. The same orders were issued 
to General Smyth's brigade. — When the British 
General Brock had made arrantrements for 
the civil government of Michigan, and had 
appointed such officers as he thought necessary to its admin- 
istration, he transferred the command of Detroit to Colonel 
Proctor, and moved his own quarters to Fort George that he 
might facilitate the preparations on the Niagara frontier. But 
General Van Renssellaer received intellio-ence which was thouo^ht 
to warrant a movement into Canada, and was at the same time 
informed that General Brock had returned to Detroit, upon hear- 
ing of the preparations in the west for the recovery of that post, 
and had taken with him such troops as could with safety be 
spared from Fort Erie and Fort George. He therefore promised 




II 



86 EXPEDITION AGAINST QUEENSTOWN. 

his army that they should cross over and act against Queens- 
town, and it was for this purpose that the regulars were ordered 
from Fort Niagara and the Rock. The possession of Queens- 
town was important to the success of the American arms in 
Canada, in this or in any future campaign. It is a handsome 
town, below the Falls of Niagara, at the head of the naviga- 
ble waters of that strait, and immediately opposite Lewistown, a 
place of depot for the merchandise for all the country above, and 
for the public stores for the line of posts along the Niagara and 
Detroit rivers. It has an excellent harbour and good anchorage ; 
the banks on both sides are elevated, and the landscape is among 
the most splendid and sublime. 

It was intended that the attack upon Queenstown should be 
made on the morning of the 11th at three o'clock, and the em- 
barkation was to take place from the old ferry opposite the 
heights, to which situation experienced boatmen were employed 
to navio-ate the boats from the landinor below. The river here is 
one sheet of violent eddies, and an officer who was considered to be 
the most sliilful for such a service was sent ahead, but in the ex- 
treme darkness of the night, passed the intended point of embarka- 
tion far up the river, and very unaccountably fastened his boat, 
containing nearly all the oars of the other boats, to the shore and 
abandoned the detachment. The ardour of the officers and men 
was not the least abated through the night, though they were 
exposed to a tremendous north-east storm which prevailed for 
twenty-eight hours and in that time deluged the whole camp. 
But they were mortified by this distressing dilemma, cind the 
appearance of daylight having extinguished every prospect of 
success the detachments returned to camp, and an express was 
sent to Black Rock to countermand the orders to General Smyth. 
The miscarriage of tlie plan had no other effect than to increase 
the ardour of the troops, and they impatiently awaited for the 
arrival of orders which would bring them into personal opposition 
with their enemy. Arrangements were therefore made to that 
effect, and the night of the 12th was designated for the operation. 
Two columns, one of three hundred militia, under Colonel Van 
Renssellaer, and another of three hundred regulars, under Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Christie, were to pass over together. Thirteen 



SCOTT S ARRIVAL. 87 



boats were provided for their convejance, and when the heights 
should be carried, Lieutenant-Colonel Fenwick's flying artillery- 
were to cross over, then Major Mullany's detachmei:^t of regulars, 
and the other troops to follow in order. Early in the night 
Colonel Christie marched his detachment by the rear road from 
Niagara to camp. At seven in the evening Lieutenant-Colonel 
Stranahan's regiment moved from Niagara Falls ; at three o'clock 
Mead's res^iment, and at nine, Lieutenant-Colonel Blan's reo-i- 
ment. Each corps w^as in camp in proper time. At the dawm 
of day the boats were in readiness, and the troops embarked early 
in the morning of the 13th, under cover of a commanding battery 
mounting two eighteen-pounders and two sixes. 

Whilst these preparations were going forward, the British at 
Queenstown were surreptitiously apprized of the contemplated 
movement of the American troops, and they despatched expresses 
to give intelligence to General Brock, w^ho was at that moment 
quartered at Fort George. The heights v/ere lined Avith troops, 
and measures were instantly adopted to repel the debarkation. 
The boats had scarcely put off from the American, before they 
received a brisk fire of musketry from the w^iole line on the 
Canadian shore. The American batteries were immediately 
opened to sweep the opposite shore, and three British batteries 
played with great severity upon the boats. 

Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, of the artillery, who had marched 
with uncommon expedition from Niagara Falls, arrived in time 
to reply to the enemy's fire with two six-pounders. The eddies 
in the river were violent, the shot from the enemy fell in heavy 
showers on the boats, and the difficulty of combating the former, 
and avoiding the latter, not only embarrassed the officers, but put 
many of the oarsmen into confusion. A grape-shot from a bat- 
tery below Queenstown, which enfiladed the place of crossing, 
struck the boat in which was Lieutenant-Colonel Christie, 
wounded him in the hand, and alarmed the pilot and boatmen so, 
that the boat fell below the intended place of landing and was 
obliged to return. The boats in w^hich Major MuUany followed 
the two columns fell also below the point, two of them into the 
hands of the enemy, and the Major returned. But Colonel Van 
Renssellaer, who commanded the whole detachment, and whose 



88 



T)ETERi\IINATION OF THE TROOPS. 




Battle of Queenstown. 



boats formed the van, moved to the enemy's shore, succeeded in 
touching it at the designated place, and effected the landing of 
the van, consisting of one hundred men, under a tremendous fire 
directed upon him from every point. In ascending the banks 
the colonel received four balls. Captain Armstrong, Captain 
Malcolm, and Captain Wool, were wounded, and Ensign Morris 
was killed. Lieutenant Valance was killed in crossing. A party 
of the British then issued from an old fort below Queenstown, 
but on being fired on by the Americans immediately retreated. 

A strong battery which fired incessantly upon the van, obliged 
it to retire under the banks, where lay Colonel Van Renssellaer, 
who, though in excruciating pain, with great difficulty stood up 
and ordered his officers to proceed with rapidity and storm the 
fort, and if possible, to ascend and carry the heights. The men 
were instantly rallied. About sixty of the most determined, com- 
manded by Captain Ogilvie, seconded by Captain Wool, though 
wounded, and Lieutenants Kearny, Carr, Hugginan and Sam- 
mons, and Ensign Reeve, of the 13th; and Lieutenants Ganse- 
voort and Randolph, cautiously mounted the rocks on the right 
of the fort, gave three cheers, assailed and reduced it after three 




GALLANT CONDUCT OF CAPTAIN WOOL. 89 

desperate charges in which they were met with firmness ; they 
then carried the heights, and thus gallantly executed the whole 
order of the colonel, driving the enemy down the hill in every 
direction. A party of them retreated behind a stone guard-house, 
where a piece of ordnance was briskly served, but a fire from the 
battery at Lewistown was so effectually directed upon it, that it 
was in a few minutes silenced. 

HE British then retreated behind a large 
stone-house. The American artillery -men 
were ordered to turn the guns of the fort upon 
them, but Lieutenant Gansevoort had has- 
tily spiked the cannon and they were there- 
fore now useless. The enemy's fire was 
silenced, however, with the exception of one 
gun, which utis out of reach of the American cannon, and the boats 
were crossing unannoyed but by this battery. Reinforcements ar- 
rived after this brilliant success, under Captain Gibson T)f the light 
artillery, Captain M'Chesney of the 6th, and Captain Lawrence of 
the 13th infantry, and Colonels Mead, Stranahan, Allen, and other 
militia officers. At about ten o'clock the British line was reformed, 
and flanking parties sent out. Lieutenant-Colonel Christie suc- 
ceeded in getting across the river with five hundred men and took 
command. 

General Brock having received the expresses which were for- 
warded to him, arrived at this moment at the head of a reinforce- 
ment of regulars from Fort George. He had led them around 
the heights to the rear of the battery, when Captain Wool de- 
tached one hundred and sixty men to meet them. The detach- 
ment was driven back, but being immediately reinforced pressed 
forward again, and was- again driven back to the brink of the 
precipice forming the Niagara river above Queenstown. Seeing 
that nothing short of a miracle could save the detachment from 
being beaten ; finding that the part}^ were nearly without ammu- 
nition, and supposing it useless to sacrifice the lives of brave men, 
one of the officers was in the act of hoisting a white flag on a 
bavonet when Captain Wool, knowing that if the men held out 
a short while longer they would be relieved by reinforcements, 

H 2 12 



90 DEATH OF GENERAL BROCK. 

tore down the flag, and ordered his officers instantly to rally the 
men and bring them to a charge. 

At this moment Colonel Christie arrived with such a reinforce- 
ment as made the detachment amount to three hundred and 
twenty men, to whom he immediately repeated the orders of 
Captain Wool, (whom he directed to leave the ground to get his 
wound dressed,) led them on to the charge himself, and making 
a forcible appeal to the bayonet, entirely routed the British 49th 
regiment of six hundred men, and pursued them up the height 
until he regained the ground which the detachment had just 
before lost. Part of the 41st were acting with the 49tli, both of 
which regriments distinoruished themselves under the same com- 
mander in Europe, and the latter had obtained the title of the 
Egyptian InvincilDles, because they had never on any occasion 
before, been known to give ground. 

General Brock, indignant almost to exasperation at the flight 
of this regiment, was attempting to rally them, when he received 
three balls at the same instant, which immediately terminated his 
brave career. His aid. Captain M'Donald, fell at his side mor- 
tally wounded. At about two o'clock in the afternoon, Brigadier- 
General Wads worth of the militia, Lieutenant-Colonel Scott of 
the artillery, and Major MuUany crossed the river, and took the 
several commands which had l^een assigned to them. Captain 
Wool obe3^ed the order of Colonel Christie, crossed over to Lewis- 
town, had his wounds dressed, and returned to the scene of action. 
General Van Renssellaer had crossed over to Queenstown, and 
considering the victory complete after the repulse of the 49tli, 
and the death of General Brock, he commenced preparations for 
encamping in the enemy's country. But in expectation of fur- 
ther attacks by other reinforcements, he directed that the camp 
should be immediately fortified, and committed this service to 
Lieutenant Totten, a skilful ofiicer of the engineers. 

The enemy was reinforced at three o'clock by several hun- 
dred Indians from Chippewa, who, under the direction of the 
British in the town, commenced a furious attack upon the 
American troops, whose M'hole number did not exceed nine 
hundred and t\\-enty. As they approached through the woods 
and an orchard, the troops not knowing their number, at first 



SHAMEFUL CONDUCT OF THE MILITIA. 



91 



faltered. Lieutenant-Colonel Christie and Lieutenant-Colonel 
Scott behaved with great coolness, and making every possi- 
ble exertion, led the men promptly on, and in a short time 
the Indians being- routed, fled before the bayonet and rifle, leav- 
ing several dead and one of their chiefs a prisoner. Greneral Van 
Renssellaer observing that the troops were embarking very slowly, 
and fearing the necessity of a strong accession of numbers, crossed 
over to Lewistown during the assault of the Indians, to facilitate 
the movements of the militia. Twelve hundred and upwards o 
them were standing on the American shore inactive and, appa- 
rently, unconcerned spectators of the battle. 

At the very moment when victory was perching on the ban- 
ners of their country, the ardour of the unengaged troops entirely 
subsided, and no effort could induce them to cross the line and 
share in the glory of the day's triumph. Thrice already had the 
battle been won ; three assaults of the enemy had been vigorously 
repulsed, and the conquest of the town and heights must neces- 
sarily follow. One third part of the disengaged men would 
secure it, but they had witnessed at a distance the furious attack 
of the Indians, they had seen the bodies of their wounded fellow 
soldiers brought back to the garrison, and they refused to go fur- 
ther than the laws of their country authorized the general to com- 
mand them. They claimed the privileges allowed them by the 
laws of their country, whose honour and renown they refused to 
assist in promoting ; they beheld as gallant exploits as the world 
perhaps ever knew, but still they were not animated by the 
same spirit of enthusiasm, nor the same degree of valour. Peremp- 
tory orders were disobeyed, solicitations disregarded, and all argu- 
ment exhausted to bring them to a sense of that duty which the 
general vainly hoped had urged them in the first instance to press 
for an opportunity to act. 

Lieutenant-Colonel Bloom, who had been wounded in one of 
the tliree engagements, mounted a horse and rode among them 
with the general, but his example had no more effect than the 
general's persuasions. Meanwhile, another reinforcement was 
seen coming up the river from Fort George. The battery on the 
hill was considered as an important check to their ascending the 
heights, and measures were immediately taken to send them a 



92 RETREAT OF THE AMERICANS. 

fresh supply of arms and ammunition. The reinforcements, 
however, obUqued from the road to the right, and formed a junc- 
tion with the Indians in the rear of the heights. The American 
troops being scattered in pursuit of the Indians, lost an opportu- 
nity of raking the reinforcing column as it approached the heights, 
and were taken a little by surprise. 

Knowing that the troops at the heights must be nearly ex- 
hausted, and their ammunition as nearly expended ; overwhelmed 
with mortilication and disappointment at the refusal of the militia 
to cross, and seeing that another severe conflict which the reduced 
detachment could not long sustain without great loss would very 
soon take place. General Van Renssellaer despatched a note to 
General Wadsworth, acquainting him with the conduct of the 
militia, " Leaving the course to be pursued much to his own 
judgment, with an assurance that if he thought best to retreat, he 
(General Van Renssellaer) would send over as many boats as he 
could collect, and cover his retreat by every fire wdiich he could 
possibly make with safety." The last British reinforcement 
amounted to eight hundred men, and when drawn up in line with 
their light artillery, and flanked by their Indians, at about four 
o'clock an obstinate contest ensued, and was kept up for half an 
hour, with a tremendous discharge of flying artillery, musketry, 
and cannon, until the American detachment finding that they 
were not to be reinforced, their strength being nearly exhausted, 
and those of the militia who had already distinguished themselves, 
being unable to fight longer, received orders to retreat upon the 
reception of General Van Renssellaer's note, which they did in 
good order, down the hill to the point at which they had landed. 

Many of the boats had been destroyed, others had been taken, 
and there remained but four or five to take the whole of the de- 
tachment to Lewistown. These were crossing when the last 
affair took place, and the boatmen becoming panic struck, had 
fled from their duty, and the boats were conseqiiently dispersed, 
so that few of the Americans escaped from the Canada shore. In 
this distressing dilemma, they were obliged to surrender tliem- 
selves prisoners of war, to the number of three hundred and 
eighty-six regulars, and three hundred and seventy-eight militia; 
sixty-two of the regulars and twenty of the militia being ^vounded. 



REMARKS ON THE BATTLE. 



93 



The estimate of killed in the detachment was at ninety. When 
the last detachment arrived from Fort George the whole Ameri- 
can force was formed into line, in three divisions, and amounted 
to only two hundred and forty men, the 'militia refusing to act 
longer, and many of the regulars being then already wounded. 
The victorious enemy treated their prisoners, while on the fron- 
tier, with the most generous tenderness, but for want of will or 
power, they put no restraint upon their Indian allies, who were 
stripping and scalping not only the slain, but the dying that re- 
mained on the field of battle. The lifeless body of Ensign IMorris, 
who was brother to the amiable and distinguished naval officer 
of that name, was stripped to his shirt, and indignities too savage 
to be recorded were committed on his person. The body of 
General Brock was committed to the grave with the usual mili- 
tary honours, and the guns at Fort Niagara were fired during the 
ceremony as a tribute of respect for a gallant enemy. 

There was no officer crossed the line, upon this memorable 
day, who did not do honour to his country. Colonel Scott was 
in full dress, which with his tall stature rendered him a conspi- 
cuous mark for the enemy — it has been said that several Indians 

told him of their havincr shot at him, but he received no wound. 

" . . . • 

A. company of volunteer riflemen under Lieutenant Smith, who 

took the Indian chief, behaved with the courage of veterans. — 
Lieutenant-Colonel Fenwick was wounded three different times, 
and each time severely ; he nevertheless continued fighting, and 
was particularly distinguished through the wdiole day's engage- 
ment. — Captains Gibson, Wool, and M'Chesney, have been spoken 
of as having done the same. 

The British forces in the different battles, with the exception 
of the first, was at no time less than eleven hundred ; in the last 
and fourth engagement it was much greater. Their loss is not 
known. With regard to close and courageous fighting, the vic- 
tory on this occasion belonged to the Americans ; but with regard 
to the loss which was sustained, it was exclusively yielded to the 
British. An arrangement was eiitered into on the 14th by Avhich 
a few prisoners were paroled, the remainder were taken to 
Montreal. 

Whilst the troops were embarking at Lewistown in the morn- 



94 ATTACK ON BLACK ROCK. 

ing, the bcitteries at Fort George opened a cannonade upon Fort 
Niagara, which was returned and kept up with hot shot on both 
sides for several hours. From the south block-house of the 
American fort the shot was principally directed against the vil- 
lage of Newark, and several houses were set on hre, one or two 
of which were entirely consumed. This battery was commanded 
by Captain M'Keon, and the guns were worked with great abili- 
ty. The enemy commenced throwing shells, as there were n ) 
defenses against these, Captain N. Leonard, the commandant at 
Fort Niagara, preferred ordering a retreat from the garrison rather 
than expose a handful of men to their danger. The bursting of 
a twelve-pounder, by wdiich two men were killed, deprived the 
fort of its best battery. The retreat had scarcely been ordered, 
when a number of boats loaded with troops, were deserved to put 
oil from the enemy's shore, upon which Captain M'Keon returned 
to the fort w^ith a guard of twenty men, remained in it daring the 
night, and was joined next morning by the rest of the garrison. 
Very few were wounded, and none killed except the two men by 
the barsting of the gun. 

Early in the following week the British batteries below Fort 
Erie opened a very heavy fire upon the village and fortifications 
of Black Rock, and kept it up at intervals during the day. There 
being no larger pieces than sixes at the breastworks, very few 
shot were returned. Several cannon-shot struck the battery, and 
two or three passed through the upper loft of the west barracks. 
The east barracks were destroyed by a bomb thrown from a 
twenty-four-pounder, which blew up the magazine, and burnt a 
quantity of the skins taken in the Caledonia. General Porter, of 
the New York militia, was sitting at dinner in his quarters, when 
one twenty-four-pound ball struck the upper loft of his house, and 
another entered it through the roof. 

On the 22d the enemy landed at St. Regis, a village without a 
garrison of any kind, and from which he could move imme- 
diately upon the camp at French Mills. The tribe of Indians 
inhabiting the village were friendly to the United States, and as it 
entered into the views of the enemy to pursuade them from the ser- 
vice of the American government into which they might probably 
enter, and to flatter them into their own, Sir George Prevost, under 



BATTLE OF ST. REGIS. 95 



the authority with which he was clothed, had forwarded to this 
tribe, in the form of a present, a quantity of baggage, consisting ot 
blankets, guns, specie, &c., under an escort of soldiers, and ac- 
companied by despatches, in which he solicited their alliance. 
The force was variously stated from one to three hundred, and 
Major Young, commanding the American militia from Troy, at 
the Mills, determined on immediately attacking them, as it was 
understood they were halting there for an increase of numbers. 
He detached Captain Tilden to the St. Lawrence, with a view 
of 2:ainino- a circuitous route to one of two houses in wdiich the 
British were said to be quartered, and to secure the enemy's boats 
which were stationed there, to prevent his retreat. Captain Lyon 
was detached with orders to take the road running along the bank 
of the river St. Regis, with directions to gain the rear of the other 
house, and Major Young with the remainder of the forces moved 
on in front. When within fifty yards of either house, he heard 
a firing which convinced him that Captain Lyon was engaged. 
One round was suflicient. The enemy surrendered, but not to 
the number reported to have landed, and the Americans made 
forty prisoners, and took one stand of colours, thirty-eight mus- 
kets, the despatches, and all the baggage. Two batteaux were 
taken by Captain Tilden, and the troops returned to their encamp- 
ment at about eleven o'clock. The British lost four killed and 
one mortally wounded. 

At one o'clock in the morning of the 17th November, four 
British barges approached the American shore, about a mile 
above Ogdensburg, and on being hailed by a sentinel and refusing 
to answer, were immediately fired upon. The report of his piece 
brought several riflemen to his assistance, when the barges opened 
a smart fire of grape-shot, without effect, and soon after retired 
to Prcscott harbour. On their way thither they fired several shot 
into the town, which were returned by a six-pounder. 

This affair was followed on the night of the 19th by an incur- 
sion seven miles into the British territory by Colonel Pike and a 
part of the 15th regiment. He assaulted and carried a post which 
w^as defended by a large body of British and Indians, burned a 
block house, and put the garrison to flight, and returned with the 
loss of five men wounded. 



96 BOMBARDMENT OF FORT NIAGARA. 

At six o'clock on the morning of the 21st, the British having 
prepared mortars, and planted a long train of battering cannon 
behind breastworks erected on the margin of the river, com- 
menced a bombardment of Fort Niagara, and opened a cannonade 
from the batteries at and in the neighbourhood of Fort George, 
which was kept up without a moment's cessation until sundown. 
They employed live detached batteries in this affair. Two of 
them mounting twenty-four-pounders, and one mounting a nine- 
pounder. The remainder were mortar batteries, from five and a 
half to ten and a half inches, from which were thrown great 
quantities of shells. These fortresses are situated nearly opposite 
each other, at the mouth of the Niagara river, and command the 
entrance from Lake Ontario. The guns of Fort Niagara may be 
brought to bear alternately upon Fort George and the town of 
Newark, whilst a salt-battery, being a dependency of Fort Nia- 
gara and mounting one eighteen and a four-pounder, is directly 
in a range with and calculated to do much damage to the enemy's 
garrison. 

The American fort had received an augmentation of force im- 
mediately after the cannonade of the 13th, several corps who had 
marched to Lewistow^n, having been ordered after the battle of 
Queenstown, to relieve the garrison, but it w^as not yet supplied 
with a sufficient cpiantity of artillery and ammunition. It w^as 
now commanded by Colonel George M'Feeley. In the course 
of the day the enemy threw two thousand red-hot balls, and one 
hundred and eighty shells. The shells proved to be' harmless, 
but the hot shot set fire to several buildings which were within 
and about the fort, but through the incessant vigilance of all the 
officers and men, but particularly of that gallant officer, Major 
Armistead, of the United States corps of engineers, who has on 
many other occasions distinguished himself, the fires were got 
under and extinguished, without being discovered by the enemy. 

Notwithstanding the vast shower of shells and cannon balls 
which was falling into the fort, tlie garrison performed their duty 
with unremitting alacrity, and served their pieces with coolness 
and composure. Captain M'Keon commanded a twelve-pounder 
in the south-east block-house ; Captain Jacks, of the 7th militia 
artillery, conunanded in the north block-house, a situation most 




N 



13 



BOMBARDMENT OF FORT NIAGARA. 99 

exposed to the enemy's fire. Lieutenant Rees, of the 3d artil- 
lery, had command of an eighteen-poiinder on the south-east 
battery, from which several well-directed shot were made whilst 
the piece was pointed at the battery en barbette, mounting a 
twenty-four-pounder. Lieutenant Wendal, of the same regiment, 
had command of an eighteen and four-pounder on the west bat- 
tery ; Dr. Hooper, of the militia artillery, had command of a six- 
pounder on the mess-house, and Lieutenants Gansevoort and 
Harris, of the 1st artillery, had command of the salt-battery. Thus 
disposed they retvirned the fire of the enemy with vigour and 
effect. They directed several of the pieces at the to\\ii of New- 
ark, and repeatedly fired it with hot shot. The buildings within 
Fort George were also fired, and at one time one of the batteries 
was silenced. A part of the parapet falling on Lieutenant Rees, 
his left shoulder was so severely bruised that it became necessary 
for him to quit his station, and Captain Leonard, happening at 
that moment to arrive at the fort, took command of Lieutenant 
Rees's battery for the remainder of the day. 

The continuation of the bombardment increased the animation 
of the men, and they fought wi^h undiminished cheerfulness until 
the cannonading ceased. Colonel M'Feely spoke of all the garri- 
son in very strong terms, and of Lieutenant-Colonel Gray, Major 
Armistead, and Captain Mulligan particularly. During the bom- 
bardment a twelve-pounder bursted and killed two men. Two 
others were killed by the enemy's fire, and Lieutenant Thomas 
and four men were wounded. From the salt-battery the enemy 
was very much annoyed. A few shot from the four-pounder 
there sunk a schooner which lay at the opposite wharf, and such 
was the spirited earnestness of both officers and men at this bat- 
tery, that when in the most tremendous of the bombardment they 
had fired away all their cartridges, they cut up their flannel 
waistcoats and shirts, and the soldiers their trousers to supply 
their guns. 

An instance of extraordinary bravery took place in the garri- 
son in the hottest of the cannonade, and for deliberate coolness 
and courageous fortitude, was surpassed neither by Joan, maid 
of Orleans, nor the heroine of Saragosa. — Doyle, a private in the 
Xhiited States artillery, who had been stationed in the fort, was 



100 OPERATIONS OF GENERAL SMYTH. 

made prisoner in the battle of Queenstown. His wife remained 
in the garrison, and being there on the 21st, she determined to 
resent the refusal of the British to parole her husband, by proffer- 
ing her services, and doing his duty against the enemy whenever 
the works should be assailed ; and she, accordingly, attended tho 
six-pounder on the mess-house with hot shot, (regardless of the 
shells which were falling around her,) and never quitted her sta- 
tion until the last gun had been discharged. 

General Van Renssellaer having resigned his command on the 
Niagara, General Smyth now contemplated a more effectual inva- 
sion of Canada than that which had so recently failed. From a 
description of the river below the falls, the view of the shore below 
Fort Erie, and from information which he had received of the 
enemy's preparations, General Smyth was of opinion that the 
landing should be effected between Fort Erie and Chippewa. 
This opinion he had delivered to General Van Renssellaer before 
the battle of Queenstown, and being in command, he was resolved 
that it should now be acted upon. The troops stationed at Black 
Rock and Buffalo were equally desirous of engaging the enemy, 
and the general promised them cqi^quest and renown. In order 
that he might visit the Canadian shore with a force competent to 
retain the posts which might be captured, he desired to increase 
his numbers by such an accession of volunteers, as would be wil- 
ling to perform one month's service in the army, to submit to the 
rigid discipline of a camp, and to encounter the enemy on his own 
soil. He immediately communicated his intentions by a procla- 
mation, issued on the 10th of November, circulated in the coun- 
ties of Seneca and Ontario, and inviting persons thus disposed to 
place themselves under his authority. 

This proclamation produced the intended effect. It held forth 
great allurements, and appealed to the patriotism of the American 
citizens. Under this proclamation numbers of volunteers came 
forward with the expected alacrity, and on the 27th of November 
the force collected at the station amounted to four thousand and 
five hundred men, including the regular troops, and the Baltimore, 
Pennsylvania, and New York volunteers, the latter being placed 
under the command of General Peter B. Porter, of the militia. 
On the following morning at reveille, the whole force was to em- 



PREPARATIONS OF GENERAL SMYTH. 



101 




General Porter. 



bark from the navy-yard at Black Rock and to proceed on the 
contemplated expedition. 

No possible preparation was omitted. At the navy-yard there 
were lying for the purpose of transporting the troops across the 
river, seventy public boats calculated to carry forty men each, five 
large private boats, which were taken into the public service cal- 
culated to carry one hundred men each, and ten scows for the 
artillery to carry twenty-five each, wdiich, together with a num- 
ber of small boats which were also provided, were to transport the 
w^hole of this army. After informing the citizens that for many 
years they had seen their country oppressed with numerous 
wrongs; their government, though above all others devoted to 
peace, had been forced to draw the sword and rely for redress of 
injuries on the valour of the American people, and that that 
valour had in every instance been conspicuous ; his proclamation 
continued in the following words : " But the nation has been un- 
fortunate in the election of some of those who have directed it 



1 2 



102 GENERAL SMYTH's PROCLAMATION. 

Ofie armij has been disgracefully surreridered and lost. Another 
has been sacrificed by a iwecipitate attemj^t to pass over at the 
strongest point of tlie enemy's lines with most incompetent means. 
The cause of these miscarriages is apparent^ The commanders 
were popular men, ' destitute alike of theory and experience' in 
the art of war. In a few days the troops under my command will 
plant the American standard in Canada. They are men accus- 
tomed to obedience, silence, and steadiness. They will conquer, 
or they will die. Will you stand with your arms folded and look 
on this interesting struggle ? Are you not related to the men 
who fought at Bennington and Saratoga? Has the race degene- 
rated ? Or have you, under the baneful influence of contending 
passions, forgot your country? Must I turn from you and ask 
the men of the Six Nations to support the government of the 
United States? Shall I imitate the officers of the British king, 
and suffer our ungathered laurels to be tarnished by ruthless 
deeds?* Shame, where is thy blush? No. Where I command, 
the vanquished and the peaceful man, the maid and the matron, 
shall be secure from wrong. If we conquer, 'we will conquer 
but to save' 

" Men of New York, 
" The present is the hour of renown. Have you not a wish for 
fame ? Would you not choose in future times to be named as 
one, who, imitating the heroes whom Montgomery led, have, in 
spite of the season, visited the tomb of the chief, and conquered 
the country where he lies ? Yes, you desire your share of fame. 
Then seize the present moment. If you do not, you will regret 
it : and say, ' the valiant bled in vain — the friends of my country 
fell — and I was not there !' advance then to our aid. I will wait 
for you a few days. I cannot give you the day of my departure. 
But come on. Come in companies, half companies, or singly. I 
will organize you for a short tour. Ride to this place if the dis- 
tance is far, and send back your horses. But remember, that 
every man who accompanies us places himself under my com- 
mand, and shall submit to the salutary restraints of discipline." 

* It was about this time understood that a number of friendly Indians proposed to be 
taken into General Smyth's army, but that he explicitly refused to let them accompany 
him into Canada. 




PREPARATIONS FOR INVADING CANADA. 103 

CCOMPANYING a second proclamation of 
General Smyth, of the 17th of November, in 
which was recapitulated most of the appeal 
of the former, and in which he set forth that 
"disloyal and traitorous men had endeavoured 
to persuade the people from doing their duty," 
was an address from General Porter to the 
people of Ontario and Genessee, in which he informed them that 
General Smyth had a powerful army at Buffalo, under strict dis- 
cipline, in high spirits, and eager for the contest. That with this 
army he would in a few days occupy all the British fortresses on 
the Niagara. That as humanity suggested that this conquest 
should be achieved with the least possible sacrifice, General 
Smyth had asked their aid and co-operation for the purpose of 
obtaining a force that would overawe opposition and save the 
effusion of blood. That he intended himself to accompany the 
expedition ; that a vigorous campaign of one month would relieve 
their fellow-citizens of the frontier from their suffering's, drive off 
the savage knife, restore peace to the whole of that section of the 
country, and redeem the tarnished reputation of the nation. 

A large number of troops were now assembled at and near Buf- 
falo, where they were drilled, equipped, and organized for the 
intended invasion. Ten boats were appointed to precede the 
main body, to effect a landing, and to storm and carry the enemy's 
batteries. A number of sailors were engaged to navigate the 
boats, under command of Lieutenant-Commandant Samuel Angfus 
of the navy, assisted by Lieutenant Dudley, Sailing-Master 
Watts, who had distinguished himself in cutting out the Caledo- 
nia, and several other naval officers. At three o'clock in the 
morning of the 28th, these boats put off from the American shore, 
but they had not proceeded one-fourth of the way across when 
the British batteries opened a galling fire, and five of them were 
obliged to return. In one of these was Colonel Winder of the 
14th infantry, who commanded the troops to whom this hazard- 
ous duty was assigned. The command of the 14th devolved 
therefore upon Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler, who was in one of 
the advance boats with several resolute infantry officers. A se- 



104 CAPTURE OF BRITISH BATTERIES. 



vere fire of musketry and grape-shot from two pieces of flying 
artillery was poured upon this part of the squadron, but they 
effected their landing in good order, formed on the shore, and 
advanced to the accomphshment of their object. 

Lieutenant-Commandant Angus and his officers, assisted by 
Samuel Swartwout, Esq., of New York, an enterprising citizen 
who happened to be at the station, acted as volunteers after the 
landino- of the troops, and joining their little band of sailors to the 
reo-ulars under Captain King of the 15th, they stormed the ene- 
my's principal batteries and drove him to the Red-house, where 
he rallied with two hundred and fifty men and commenced a 
rapid fire of musketry upon the assailants. Sixty regulars and 
fifty sailors composed the whole American force. The success at 
the battery, the guns of which were spiked, was followed up by 
a desperate assault on the Red-house. The sailors charged with 
boarding-pikes and cutlasses, the regulars with the bayonet, and 
after a hard, and destructive engagement they routed the enemy, 
fired the house in which he quartered, and made about fifty pri- 
soners. Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler attacked and dispersed the 
enemy lower down the river, and took also several prisoners. 
Every battery between Chippewa and Fort Erie was now car- 
ried, the cannon spiked or destroyed, and sixteen miles of the 
Canadian frontier laid waste and deserted. The boats returned 
with the w^ounded and the prisoners, leaving Captain King and 
twelve men, who w^ere so anxious to complete the destruction of 
every breastwork and barrack of the enemy that they resolved 
on remaining in possession of the conquered ground until the main 
body of the army should cross over the strait and march to the 
assault of the British forts. Sailing-Master Watts fell at the head 
of his division of the sailors, while he was gallantly leading them 
on. Midshipman Graham received a severe wound, which caused 
the amputation of a leg. Seven out of twelve of the navy officers 
were w^ounded. Captain Morgan of the 12tli, Captain Sprowl 
and Captain Dix of the 13th, and Lieutenant Lisson, the two 
latter of whom were badly wounded, tooli a very distinguished 
part in the engagement. 

At daybreak the batteries on the American side were opened ; 
they were ready to cover the embarkation of the main army, and 



PREPARATIONS FOR EMBARKING. 



105 



most of the troops had arrived at the designated place. Three 
hundred and forty volunteers, who had rajhed under General 
Smyth's proclamation, well armed and provided, were marched 
by General Porter to the navy-yard. One hundred and fifty 
others Avere drawing arms at Buffalo, and had orders to follow 
immediately. Colonel Winder, being under an apprehension 
that Lieutenant-Colonel Boerstler and his men were in danger, 
made an unsuccessful attempt to land two hundred and fifty men 
at a difficult point down the river, his own being the only boat 
which touched the shore. AVhen the squadron returned from 
their successful enterprise, he put back and formed his regiment 
to join in the general embarkation. At sunrise the troops began 
to embark, but such was their tardiness, that at twelve o'clock the 
whole body, with Colonel Swift's volunteer regiment, were not 
yet in the boats. A considerable number of barges had been 
thrown upon the shores of the river and Conejockeda creek, by 
the high tide of the preceding day, others were filled with ice and 
water, and those which had been employed by Colonel Winder 
were lying about one mile below. To collect and put these in 
order for the reception of the troops required a delay of several 
hours more, and it was not until two o'clock that all the troops 
intended to be sent over at the first crossing, were collected in a 
group of boats at Black Roclv, under cover of the batteries ; where 
General Porter, having brought up the five boats which were 
below, joined and took his station among them. The number 
now embarked, according to the estimate of General Porter, were 
about two thousand, wdio were anxiously awaiting the order to 
proceed. General Tannehill's volunteers. Colonel F. M'Clure's 
regiment, and some riflemen and cavalry, in all about two thou- 
sand more, were still paraded on the shore, and were to constitute 
the second embarkation. In the mean time. Captain King and 
his twelve men, who were yet in the enemy's territory dismount- 
ing his pieces, were made prisoners, and about five hundred 
British troops had been drawn up in line, about half a mile from 
the river, sounding their trumpets and bugles, and indicating their 
readiness to receive the Americans. Late in the afternoon Gene- 
ral Smyth ordered the troops to disembark, and silenced theii 
murmurs l^y an assurance that the expedition was only postponed 

14 



106 TROOPS DISEMBARKED. 

until the boats should be put in a state of better preparation, and 
that they (the troops) should immediately after be put in motion. 
The dilferent regiments retired to their respective quarters : 
General Porter marched his volunteers to Buffalo, but the enemy 
was actively employed in remounting his guns upon the batte- 
ries. On Sunday, the 29th, an order was issued from the head- 
quarters of the commanding-general for the march of the troops 
to the navy-yard, to embark on the following morning at nine 
o'clock. The time and manner proposed in this order were dis- 
approved of by all the officers; and those of the highest rank 
addressed the general and stated their objections to the plan. 
The repaired state of the enemy's batteries rendered it inexpe- 
dient to cross at the point above the island, wliich covers the 
navy-yard ; below that point he lay much augmented, in conse- 
quence of the gallant affair of the 28th, and occupied a line of 
shore of nearly a mile, from which he would have a full view of 
the American movement, if made by daylight. To avoid the fire 
of the British flying artillery and infantry, it was proposed to 
General Smyth that the troops should be landed five miles below 
the navy-yard, at an hour and a half before day on the morning 
of Tuesday, so that this dangerous shore might be passed in the 
dark ; when, if the boats were discovered, the troops would suffer 
less from the enemy's fire. The place which was thus recom- 
mended was, of all others, peculiarly favourable to a safe and 
orderly landing, and the proposal was accordingly adopted, and 
the army were to embark at three o'clock and to land at half-past 
four, in the order of battle prescribed on the 28th. 

On Monday evening seven boats for Colonel Swift's regiment, 
and eight for the new volunteers, were brought up the river and 
placed at different points, so that the noise and confusion of em- 
barking the whole at one place might be avoided. At half an 
hour after three, these boats were occupied and took their station 
opposite the navy-yard. The regulars were to proceed on the 
rio;ht, General Tannehill's volunteers in the centre, and the New 
York volunteers on the left. General Porter, with a chosen set 
of men, wap> appointed to proceed in front to direct the landing, 
and to join the New York volunteers when on the opposite shore. 
On the arri v^al of the boats which were to compose the van. Gene- 



EXPEDITION ABANDONED. 109 

ral Porter found that the artillery were embarkmg in the scows 
with as much haste as possible ; but one hour elapsed before the 
regular infantry attempted to follow, when Colonel Winder, at the 
head of the 14th, entered the boats with great order and silence. 
Every thing seemed to promise a speedy and successful issue; 
the troops to be embarked were now nearly all in readiness to 
proceed : General Porter dropped to the front of the line with a 
tlag to designate the leading boat, and the word only was wanted 
to put off. The front of the line was one-fourth of a mile from 
the shore, when the rear was observed to be retarded, and General 
Porter received orders from General Smyth to disembark imme- 
diately. He was at the same time informed that the invasion of 
Canada was abandoned for the season, that the regulars were 
ordered into winter-quarters, and that, as the services of the volun- 
teers could now be dispensed with, they might stack their arms 
and return to their homes. Previously to this order an interview 
had taken place between General Smyth and a British major, who 
came over with a flao^. 

The scene of discontent which followed was without parallel. 
Four thousand men, without order or restraint, indignantly dis- 
charged their muskets in every direction. The person of the 
commanding general was threatened. Upwards of one thousand 
men, of all classes of society, had suddenly left their homes and 
llimilies, and had made great sacrifices to obey the call of their 
country under General Smyth's invitation. He possessed their 
strongest confidence, and was gaining their warmest affections : 
he could lead to no post of danger to which they would not follow. 
But now, the hopes of his government, the expectations of the 
people, the desires of the army, w^ere all prostrated, and he was 
oljliged to hear the bitter reproaches and the indignant epithets 
of the men whom he had promised to lead to honour, to glory, to 
renown. The inhabitants refused to give him quarters in their 
houses, or to protect him from the rage of those who considered 
themselves the victims of his imbecility or his deceit. He was 
obliged constantly to shift his tent to avoid the general clamour, 
and to double the guard surrounding it ; and he was several times 
fired at when he ventured without it. An application was made 
to him by the volunteers to permit them to invade the enemy's 



JIO GENERAL SMYTHS APOLOGY. 

territory under General Porter, and they pledged themselves to 
him to take Fort Erie if he would give them four pieces of flying 
artillery. This solicitation was evaded, and the volunteer troops 
proceeded to their homes, execrating the man whom they had 
respected, and the general on whose talents and whose promises 
they had placed the most generous reliance. 

General Smyth, however, found those who gave their appro- 
bation to his measures, and who thought that he had saved his 
army by relinquishing the invasion of Canada. The public mind 
was for a long time agitated with doubts about the propriety of 
his conduct, in not prosecuting the campaign and breaking up 
the enemy's strong posts along the Niagara. Few, however, 
have hesitated to declare his culpability in inducing men to leave 
their homes for a month's incursion into the British territory, un- 
less he intended to effect it at every hazard which they might be 
willins: to encounter. But he has alleo^ed that his orders from 
the commander-in-chief were to cross with " three thousand men 
at once," and that he could not ascertain the number of troops 
which would go over but by seeing them actually embarked, and 
that when they were embarked they did not amount to more than 
fifteen hundred and twelve men, exclusive of the staff, being but 
half the number with which only his instructions authorized him 
to assail the opposite shore. That many of the militia not only 
refused to go when ordered into the boats by his brigade major, 
but that more than half of General Tannehiirs brigade had de- 
serted. In his official letter to General Dearborn, he stated that 
he had called together a council of his ofiicers, agreeably to his 
instructions in all important cases, and that they decided against 
the contemplated operations upon the ground of the insufficiency 
of force. Tliat he then informed the officers that the attempt to 
invade Canada would not be made until the anny should l^e re- 
inforced, and directed them to withdraw their troops and cover 
them with huts immediately. That the volunteers and the neigh- 
bouring people were dissatisfied, and that it had been in the 
power of the contracting agent (alluding to General Porter) to 
excite some clamour against the course pursued, as he found the 
contract a losing one, and would wish to see the army in Canada 
that he might not be bound to supply it. That the situation of 



GENERAL PORTER. Ill 



the force under his (General Smyth's) command had not been 
such as to malvc the propriety of a forward movement obvious to 
all : that circumstanced as he was, he thought it his duty "to fol- 
low the cautious counsels of experience, and not precipitation, to 
add to the list of our defeats." 

Whether General Porter's anxiety to see the army in Canada 
arose from so interested a motive as General Smyth has alleged, 
or whether he was actuated by a desire to see the campaign of 
1812 closed with some brilliant achievement of the American 
arms, the reader wdll be better able to judge by remem1)ering the 
indefatigable exertions which that gentleman made use of to en- 
large the forces at Buffalo, by which the supplies of the army 
would be increased^ and of the personal share wdiich he w^as dis- 
posed to take in the most dangerous part of thnour and a halt, c.u 

On the 2d of December the enem v. ras about to rake her. 
upon Black Rock, probably witlerican crew on discovering the 
that his guns were unspikedj, was perhaps unprecedented ; the 
in a state to resist the imever surpassed in any other naval en- 
several six-pounders, oneden being brought on board, presented 
was so well directed th3atur, who, in testimony of the gallantry 
mounted a heavy gun, aaccepting it, saying that " he could not 

The troops were now an who had defended his ship so brave- 
Batavia for the reception amounted to one hundred and four; 
tions took place until the xty-eight wounded : among the latter, 
distinguished by titles deriits. The loss of the United States was 
w^as commanded by GenerJed, making a total of tw^elve. Among 
tre, and that upon the St. L John Musser Funk, of Lancaster, 
Northern Army. This lattds died of his wounds, regretted for 
of five thousand seven hundrhis constant coolness and couraofe. 
cavalry, field and horse artilleo damage whatever, and returned 
winter-quarters, and the hopes'^ in. The superiority of giumery 
the North-western army, which the side of the American sea- 
the Rapids of the Miami, the heaC'? whilst the enemy discharged 
Sandusky, making vigorous prepa. 

British and Indians at Detroit, and rw ship, and had been out of 
the winter in one of the enemy's garri^ht into the port of New 

to New York, where she 
^e, and as such bought 



112 



NAVAL CAMPAIGN CONTINUED. 








lueir homes for a mo.. 

less he intended to effect it oT T E R V 1 1. 

wilhng to encounter. But he ha^ 

the commander-m-chief were to cross ^^ feBttmii?^. 

at once," and that he could not ascerta. 

which would go over but by seeino- them ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^® ocean 

that when they were embarked they did i^® continuing to be tri- 

fifteen hundred and twelve men, exclusi^ ^^^^^^ victory succeeded 

half the number with which only his ins^ ^® people of the United 

to assail the opposite shore. That man^ Jnished at the ceaseless 

refused to go when ordered into the be ** ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^® nations of 

but that more than half of General Ta "^ admiration, and began 

serted. In his official letter to Generr^^^® I'i^"^? i^aval establish- 

he had called together a council of h '^^^^ ^^ ^ future rival to the 

instructions in all important cases, ar^^^my against whom it was 

the contemplated operations upon thf 

of force. That he then informed tl i^^^^ States, Captain Stephen 

invade Canada would not be made . separated from the squadron 

inforced, and directed them to w which she left Boston on the 

them with huts immediately, n^^rack of the British frigates until 

bouring people were dissatisf ^•' ^^ng. 29 deg. 30 min. W., she 

power of the contracting ag^^ Macedonian, Captain John Garden, 

excite some clamour again^ ^ji^^o forty-nine, the odd one being a 

contract a losing one, and -^o^iian was to windward, and entered 

that he might not be bo^ ^^^ distance. For half an hour after the 



UNITED STATES AND MACEDONIAN. 113 

commeiipement of the action the United States had no opportu- 
nity of using her carronades, the enemy keeping out of their 
reach, and never once coming within the range of grape or mus- 
ketry. The action, therefore, was of greater length than usual, 
and continued under every advantage to the enemy until the 
United States neared him. The fire from her then became so 
vivid that the enemy's crew imagining her to be on fire, gave 
many demonstrations of their joy, and expected every instant to 
see her blown up. But the Macedonian's mizzen-mast was shot 
away by the board, her fore and topmasts by the caps, her lower 
masts badly wounded, her main-mast destroyed, and all her rig- 
ging cut up. Most of her guns were disabled, the largest part 
of her crew killed and wounde^, and having become a perfect 
wreck, she surrendered after an action of an hour and a half, at 
the moment when the United States was about to rake her. 

The enthusiasm of the American crew on discoverinof the 
enemy, and during the battle, was perhaps unprecedented ; the 
precision of their fire was never surpassed in any other naval en- 
gagement. Captain Garden being brought on board, presented 
his sword to Captain Decatur, who, in testimony of the gallantry 
of his enemy, declined accepting it, saying that " he could not 
receive the sword of a man who had defended his ship so brave- 
ly." The enemy's loss amounted to one hundred and four; 
thirty-six in killed, and sixty-eight wounded : among the latter, 
his first and third lieutenants. The loss of the United States was 
five killed and seven wounded, making a total of twelve. Among 
the latter was Lieutenant John Musser Funk, of Lancaster, 
Pennsylvania, who afterwards died of his wounds, regretted for 
his worth, and admired for his constant coolness and couraofe. 
The United States received no damage whatever, and returned 
to port only to see her prize safe in. The superiority of gunnery 
was decidedly, in this action, on the side of the American sea- 
men, who fired seventy broadsides, whilst the enemy discharged 
but thirty-six. 

The Macedonian was an entire new ship, and had been out of 
dock but four months. She was brought into the port of New 
London, and thence through the Sound to New York, where she 
was fitted out as a thirty-eight gun frigate, and as such bought 

k3 15 



114 OPERATIONS ON LAKE ONTARIO. 

into the service of the United States at the value of two hundred 
thousand dollars. 

Captain Decatur every where received the congratulations of 
the citizens. The legislatures of Pennsylvania and Virginia 
voted him an elegant sword ; the Congress of the United States 
a gold medal. The corporation of New York voted him the free- 
dom of the city in a gold box, and had his portrait set up in their 
gallery ; and the select and common councils of Philadelphia, (in 
which city he was born,) voted him a superb sword, and ap- 
pointed a committee, of which Captain John Mullowney, formerly 
of the United States navy was one ; who in conjunction with 
Major-General John Barker, then mayor of the city, were to pro- 
cure it to be made of American <naterials. This sword was pre- 
sented to Captain Decatur by the mayor, accompanied by a concise 
and appropriate address, to which he made a pertinent and manly 
reply. Lieutenant Allen, first of the ship, and Lieutenant 
Nicholson, received the same honours from the legislature of 
Virginia. 

On Lake Ontario the naval operations were becoming every 
day of more consequence. Arrangements had been made for the 
augmentation of the fleets and a large ship was already on the 
stocks, nearly completed, and to be called the Matlison. About 
the 6th of November, Commodore Chauncey, who commanded 
the fleet on this station, had some suspicion that three of the ene- 
my's squadron had proceeded from Kingston, up the lake, with 
troops to reinforce Fort George. The vessels supposed to have 
sailed in this direction, were the Royal George of six, the Duke 
of Gloucester of ten, and the Prince Regent of fourteen guns. 
Commodore Chauncey immediately sailed with the brig Oneida 
of fourteen guns ; the Governor Tompkins, Lieutenant Brown, 
of six guns ; the Growler, Lieutenant Mix, of five guns ; the Con- 
quest, Lieutenant Elliot, of two guns ; the General Hamilton, 
Lieutenant M'Pherson, of six guns; the Pert, Arundle, of two 
guns ; and the Julia, Frant, of one long thirty-two-pounder — 
making in all thirty-six guns. As the enemy's vessels were ex- 
pected to return to Kingston for more troops, it was intended to 
intercept them at the False Ducks, a collection of islands which 
they would be obliged to pass. 



OPERATIONS ON LAKE ONTARIO. 115 

On the 8th the squadron fell in with the Royal George, and 
chased her into the baj of Quinti, where she was lost sight of in 
the night. On the morning of the 9th she was discovered in 
Kingston channel. Signal was immediately made for a general 
chase, but by the alternate prevalence of squalls and calms, the 
squadron was led in close pursuit into the harbour of the enemy 
at Kino'ston. The commodore beings determined on boardino- her, 
though she was anchored under the enemy's batteries, with 
springs on her cables, that she might get all her guns to bear, 
gave his signal to that effect. At three o'clock the batteries 
opened their fire on the fleet, and sent forth a tremendous 
shower of shot and grape. Lieutenant Elliot, of the Conquest, 
pushed forward, and went in in the handsomest style. He was 
followed by the Julia, the Pert, and the Growler, in succession ; 
then came up the brig, with the commodore, then the General 
Hamilton, and the Governor Tompkins. At twelve minutes after 
three Lieutenant Elliot opened his fire ; at fifteen minutes after 
three the Pert, Julia, and Growler, opened theirs. At twenty 
minutes after three the whole of the batteries fired on the brief, 
and she sustained most of the fire during the remainder of the 
action. A little while after, the commodore gave the signal '■'■ en- 
gage closer," which was instantly obeyed. The Port's gun about 
this time bursted and wounded her commander, who refusing- to 
leave the deck, was knocked overboard by the boom and drowned. 
At forty minutes past three the brig opened her fire on the Royal 
George, and the Royal George on the Hamilton. The firing 
became now very hot, and was kept up with the greatest alacrity 
until four o'clock, when the Royal George cut her cables and ran 
away further up the bay. 

The squadron became exposed to the cross fire of five batteries 
of flying artillery, in all about forty guns, and the guns of the 
ship the Royal George, which having taken a more advantage- 
ous position, set new springs and recommenced her fire. Round 
and grape were now falling around the squadron in heavy 
showers. At half an hour after four the whole hauled by the 
wind and beat out of the bay ; two miles from which they an- 
chored, in full sight, until the lOth, and after remaining there 
nearly all that day, they returned to Sackett's Harbouj, with the 



116 OPERATIONS ON LAKE ONTARIO. 

loss of one man killed and three wounded on board the Oneida. 
Whilst at the mouth of Kingston harbour, the commodore cap- 
tured a schooner, and as she could not beat out with the squad 
ron, he ordered the Growler to take her under convoy, to run 
down past Kingston, and anchor on the east end of Long Island, 
under an expectation that the Royal George would be induced 
to come out to recapture her ; but her commander, fearing that 
the squadron might be close at hand, would not leave his moor- 
ings. The Royal George suffered very severely in her hull, as 
a number of thirty-two-pound shot pierced her through and 
through. The Growler having in vain tried to induce the enemy 
to come out, sailed with the prize schooner for Sackett's Harbour. 
On her way she discovered the Prince Regent and the Earl 
Moira, of eighteen guns, convoying a sloop to Kingston. She 
immediately ran in and placed herself behind a point with her 
prize, until the armed vessels had passed her, when she ran out 
again, pressed down upon the sloop, captured and brought her 
into Sackett's Harbour, having on board about twelve thousand 
dollars in specie, and Captain Brock, cousin and private secretary 
to General Brock, together w^ith that general's private property 
and baggage. The commodore immediately put off in a snow 
storm, with a hope of cutting off the Earl Moira at the False 
Ducks. Captain Brock expressed great surprise on learning that 
the Americans had been in the British harbour, and that they 
had got out again wath so little loss, the place being so strongly 
defended. Commodore Chauncey not having succeeded in in- 
tercepting the Earl Moira, returned again to the harbour, and 
made preparations for completing the new ship Madison, which, 
being finished on the 26th of November, was launched into her 
destined element without accident. 

About this time the American privateers were floating in every 
direction on the ocean. They cruised before the entrances of 
most of the British colonial ports, and relying on the swiftness 
of their sailing, many of them had ventured into the chops of the 
British Channel. The alarm which was in consequence excited 
among the merchants of Great Britain, and the vast number of 
captures which w^re making by these vessels, induced the Eng- 
lish government to fit out several sloops of war for the protection 



THE PRIVATEERS. 117 



of their coast. The brig Charybdis, of eighteen thirty-two-pound- 
ers, and the Opossum sloop of war, were ordered to cruise for 
several privateers wdiich were then known to be in the neigh- 
bourhood of the coast, and which it was confidently expected 
would be brought in by one or the other of these armed vessels. 
The Chary bdis fell in with the privateer Blockade of New York, 
of eio-ht oruns ; and after an obstinate encrao^ement of one hour and 
twenty minutes, in which the Chary bdis lost twenty-eight of her 
officers and men killed and wounded, and the Blockade eight 
men only, the latter was carried and taken into port. The Opos- 
sum encountered the " Orders in Council," a small privateer, who 
fought her until they had exchanged seven broadsides, when, 
finding the enemy's force to be too powerful, she abandoned the 
contest and effected her escape. 

The privateer Tom, Captain Wilson, of Baltimore, on the 23d 
of November descried a sail, gave chase, overhauled and brought 
her to an action, which terminated in the surrender of the enemy 
with the loss of her captain and four men killed, and several 
w^ounded. She proved to be the British packet Townsend, 
M'Coy, from Falmouth for Barbadoes. Her mail had been thrown 
overboard, but was picked up by the Tom's boats, and after being 
ransomed she was suffered to proceed. 

The Bona privateer, of Baltimore, having discovered a British 
ship of eight hundred tons, and twenty-tw^o guns, then on a voy- 
age from Madeira, ran up and engaged her, when the great gun 
bursted, and Captain Dameron put twenty-nine officers and men 
into his boats, and despatched them to board her. After a severe 
fight upon her decks, they carried her wdth little loss. Two 
strange sail at this moment coming up in chase, the Bona left 
the prize in possession of those on board, and bore away to draw 
the chasing vessels after her. 

The privateer Dolphin, Captain W. S. Stafford, of ten guns 
and sixty men, also of Baltimore, being off" Cape St. Vincent, 
engaged a ship of sixteen guns and forty men, and a brig of ten 
guns and tw^enty-five men, at the same instant, and after a long 
and gallant action made prizes of both. The Dolphin had four 
men wounded ; the enemy nineteen killed and forty wounded, 
among them the captain of one of the vessels. Instances of the 



118 



EXPEDITION TO THE .SOUTH SEAS. 




Commodore Bainbridge. 



bold and daring intrepidity of the crews of the private armed 
vessels of the United States are so numerous, that the recital of 
them would swell this work very far beyond the limits which 
have been assigned to it. The enemy's commerce was every 
where assailed by them, and the British government was obliged 
to protect their merchant ships by large convoys of vessels of 
war. 

A plan had been matured at the navy department for a cruise 
in the South Seas, and the frigate Constitution, now commanded 
by Commodore William Bainbridge, the Essex, Captain Porter, 
and the Hornet, Captain Lawrence, were selected to prosecute 
the voyage in company. On the •27th of October the Essex 
sailed from the Delaware, and on the 30th the Constitution and 
Hornet from Boston ; several places of rendezvous having been 
assigned, at either of which this force was to be united to proceed 
upon the cruize. On the 29th of December the union of these ves- 
sels had not yet been eifected, and on that day the Constitution 



CONSTITUTION AND JAVA. 121 

descried a sail at meridian, in lat. 13 deg. 6 min. S., long 38 W., 
ten leagues from St. Salvador, which she soon discovered to be 
a British frigate. Commodore Bainbridge tacked sail and stood 
for her. At fifty minutes past one p. m. the enemy bore down with 
an intention of raking the Constitution, which she avoided by 
wearing. Much manoeuvering took place on both sides, the 
object of the enemy being to rake, and of the Constitution to avoid 
being raked, and to draw the enemy from the neutral coast. At 
two p. M. the enemy was within half a mile of the Constitution, and 
to windward, having hauled down his colours, except the union 
jack, which was at the mizzen-masthead. A gun w^as then fired 
ahead of him to make him show his colours; but this gun was 
answered by a whole broadside. The enemy's colours were then 
hoisted, and the action began with round and grape ; but he kept 
at so great a distance that the grape had little effect, and to bring 
him nearer would expose the Constitution to severe raking. At 
thirty minutes past two, both ships were within good canister 
distance, when the Constitution's wheel was shot away. At forty 
minutes past two, the fore and mainsail were set, and Commodore 
Bainl5ridge being now determined to close with him, luffed up 
for that purpose, and in ten minutes after the enemy's jibboom 
got foul of the Constitution's mizzen rigging, and in another ten 
minutes his bowsprit and jibboom were shot away. At five 
minutes past three his main-topmast was shot away just above the 
cap. This was followed by the loss of his gaff and spanker boom, 
and soon after his mainmast went nearly by the board. At five 
minutes past four the enemy was completely silenced, and his 
colours at the main being down, it was thought he had surren- 
dered. The Constitution therefore shot ahead to repair damages, 
which being done, and the enemy's flag being discovered to be 
still flying, she wore, stood for the enemy in handsome style, and 
got close athwart his bows in an effectual position for rakiinr, 
Avhen his' mainmast having also gone by the board, and seeing 
tliat further resistance would be useless w^hilst he lay so unman- 
ageable a wreck, he struck his colours, and was immediately 
taken possession of Lieutenant Parker, and found to be his ma- 
jesty's ship Java, of thirty-eight guns, but mounting forty-nine, 
commanded by a distinguished officer, Captain Lambert, who was 

L 16 



122 CONSTITUTION AND JAVA. 

mortally wounded, and having on board at the commencement 
of the engagement upwards of four hundred men, and one hun- 
dred supernumerary seamen which she was carrying out to the 
East Indies for different ships there. The Constitution had nine 
men killed and twenty -live wounded. The Java sixty killed and 
one hundred and seventy wounded. She had on board despatches 
for St. Helena, Cape of Good Hope, and the different establish- 
ments in the East Indies and China, and copper for a seventy- 
four, building at Bombay. She had on board also, a number 
of passengers, among whom w^ere Lieutenant-General Hislop, 
governor of Bombay, Major Walker, and one staff major, Captain 
Marshall, a master and commander in the royal navy, and several 
officers appointed to ships in the East Indies. 

The conduct of both officers and crew in this engagement, was 
not less conspicuous for gallantry than in that of the Guerriere, 
and the same principles of humanity influenced their deportment 
to the prisoners. Among the wounded were the commodore and 
Lieutenant Aylwin, the latter of wdiom received a ball imme- 
diately under the collar bone, (within an inch of his former 
w^ound,) of which he died at sea, on the 28th January. Upon 
the call for boarders, he had mounted the quarter-deck hammock 
cloth, and was in the act of firing his pistols at the enemy when 
the ball passed through his shoulder-blade and threw him upon 
the deck. Midshipman Delany, who had been at his side in both 
the actions of the Constitution, bore him to the side of the mast, 
and ordered tw^o men from his own division to carry him below, 
but such was his zeal for the success of the ship, that he would 
not suffer a single man to be taken from his station, nor would 
he consent to leave the deck until he saw the issue of the battle. 
Among the officers who distinguished themselves, were Lieute- 
nant Parker, the first officer of the ship, and Midshipmen James 
Delany, of Pennsylvania, and John Packet, of Jefferson county, 
Virginia ; the latter of whom was intrusted with the despatches 
from Commodore Bainbridge to the navy de})artment, and has 
since l^een promoted to a lieutenancy. Many of the seamen ex- 
hibited a most uncommon degree of heroism ; one of them, John 
Cheves, after being mortally wounded, remained on deck appa- 
rently dying, until the termination of the engagement, when the 



CONSTITUTION AND JAVA. 123 



word being passed that the enemy had struck, he raised himself 
up with one liand, gave three cheers, and fell back and expired. 
His brother was also severely wounded. 

On the 1st of January, (nautical time,) Commodore Bainbridge, 
upon being informed by Lieutenant Parker that the prize was in 
such a condition that many repairs would be required to render 
her at all manageable, and knowing the immense distance at 
which he then was from any port in the United States, and how 
much he would be obliged to weaken his crew to man the prize 
properly, determined on blowing her up, which he accordingly 
did at 3 p. m., with every valuable article on board of her, except 
the prisoners' baggage. To these he administered every comfort 
which his means could afford, and at St. Salvador, at which place 
he landed the remaining crew of the Java, he received the public 
acknowledgments of Lieutenant-General Hislop to that effect, 
accompanied by the presentation of an elegant sword. Captain 
I^ambert had received a mortal w^ound in the early part of the 
cno-ag^ement, and was in so lanoruishino: a situation that he could 
not be removed from the Java until her destruction was resolved 
on, after which the commodore directed his course to St. Salvador 
to land and parole him. On arriving in that port, he landed the 
private passengers without considering them prisoners of war, 
and released the public passengers and the officers and crew, 
amounting to three hundred and fifty-one men, on their parole, on 
condition of their returning to England and remaining there, 
without serving in any of their professional capacities until they 
should be regularly exchanged. 

At St. Salvador the Constitution met the sloop of war the Hor- 
net, with whom she had parted a few days before the engagement, 
and leaving that vessel to blockade the British sloop of war the 
Bonne Citoyenne, Commodore Bainbridge broke up the intended 
cruise in the South Seas and returned to the United States. Here 
he was greeted with the applauses of his countrymen, and 
received the freedom of the city of New York in a gold box ; a 
piece of plate from the citizens of Philadelphia, the thanks of 
many of the state legislatures, and a medal from Congress, with 
fifty thousand dollars for himself, officers, and crew. The legis- 



124 CONSTITUTION AND JAVA. 

latiire of Virgmia voted a handsome sword to Midshipman Packet 
of their state, and their approbation to the officers generally. 

The comparative force of the two vessels has been a subject of 
much prevarication, as well as of the number of men in each. 
Captain Lambert having expired at St. Salvador, it became the 
duty of Lieutenant Chads, lirst officer of the Java, to make an 
official communication of the affiair to his government. That 
officer, unmindful of the generous magnanimity with which he 
had been treated, endeavoured to take away from the credit of 
tlie American commodore by underrating the number of the 
British crew and the actual force of the British ship, and by very 
largely overrating the force and crew of the Constitution. He 
reported her force to be thirty-two long twenty-four-pounders, 
sixteen carronades, (thirty-two pounders,) and one carronade 
eighteen-pounder, being in all fifty-eight guns. The actual force 
of the Constitution was thirty twenty-four-pounders on her gun- 
deck, sixteen thirty-two-pound carronades on her quarter-deck, 
and eight guns on her forecastle, making in all fifty four guns. 
The Java carried twenty-eight twenty-four-pounders on her gun- 
deck, fourteen thirty-two-pounders, carronades, six guns on the 
forecastle, and one shifting gun, making in all forty -nine guns, 
which the lieutenant stated at forty-six. 

Assurances were given to Commodore Bainbridge by the 
officers of the Java, that the ship left England with a crew which 
did not exceed three hundred and twenty men ; but the prisoners 
received on board the Constitution very far exceeded that num- 
ber, and when the muster-book of the Java was found and ex- 
amined, it called for four hundred and nine officers, petty officers, 
seamen, and marines, so that their loss in killed must have been 
greater than they reported. 




OPERATIONS OF WINCHESTER AND HARRISON. 125 




CHAPTER VIII 

Exasperated at the successes of 
-r:"^ the American volunteer troops, in their 




^^^^ q;:::^'^^^ repeated assaults upon the Indian 
^So^r? ^ J^ posts along the north-western frontier, 
^' the enernj resolved upon an imnie- 
^^ diate movement of his combined forces, 
to the village of Frenchtown, with a 
^^^ view to intercept the American expe- 
dition, in its further approaches to- 
wards Detroit. In the event of this 
movement, which was now (January) every day looked for, the 
inhabitants of Frenchtown were apprehensive of being massacred, 
and they therefore implored General Winchester to march to 
their protection, though the troops at that time under his com- 
mand, were far inferior in numbers to the collected force, by 
which in all probability they would be assailed. Without any 
previous concert with General Harrison as to the plan of opera- 
tions, and without his knowledge or authority, General Win- 
chester, yielding to the solicitation of the inhabitants, determined 
upon marching with his small force, then reduced to eight hun- 
dred by the discharge of those regiments whose term of service 

i2 



123 BATTLE OF FRENCHTOWN. 

had expired, to prevent, if possible, the destruction of the village 
and the threatened murder of its inhabitants. On the 17th, 
Lieutenant-Colonel William Lewis was ordered to proceed with 
a detachment to Presque isle, where he was to wait the arrival 
of a reinforcement of another detachment, under Lieutenant- 
Colonel Allen, which w^ould soon after be followed by the main 
body of the troops. On the morning of the 18th, the two de- 
tachments concentrated at Presque isle; when Colonel Levvis, 
having been informed that an advance party of the Britisli and 
Indians, amounting to about five hundred, were already encamped 
at Frenchtown, immediately determined on attacking them. A 
rapid march brought him within their view at about three o'clock. 
At three miles distance he w^as apprized of their being prepared to 
receive him, and, lest they should sally out and suddenly encoun- 
ter him, he arranged his men in the order of battle, and approached 
with caution to the maro^in of the river. 

The command of the right wing, composed of the companies 
of Captains M'Cracken, Bledsoe, and Matson, was assigned to 
Lieutenant-Colonel Allen. The command of the left, composed 
of the companies of Captains Hamilton, Williams, and Kelly, to 
Major Graves. Major Madison was placed in the centre, with 
the companies of Captain High tower, of the 17th United States 
infantry, and Captains Collier and Sabrie. Captain Ballard, 
acting as major, was sent in advance with two companies, com- 
manded by Captains Hickman and Glaves. 

Thus organized, the whole body came within a quarter of a 
mile of the enemy. The river only separated them. The line 
was then displayed, and the passage of the river was attempted, 
under a fire from a howitzer which the enemy directed against 
the volunteers with little eff'ect. The hue remained firm, and 
marched across the ice to the opposite shore, at the very moment 
when the signal was given for a general charge. 

Majors Graves and Madison were instantly ordered to assail 
the houses and picketing, in and about w^iich, the enemy had 
collected and arrayed his cannon, before this charge could be 
made. The two battalions advanced with great velocity, under 
an incessant shower of bullets, carried the picketing with ease, 
dislodged the British and Indians, and drove them into the woods. 



DEFEAT OF THE BRITISH AND INDIANS. 127 



Lieutenant-Colonel Allen made a simultaneous movement upon 
the enemy's left, then at a considerable distance from the re- 
mainder of his troops, and after one or two spirited charges, com- 
pelled him to break, and drove him more than a mile ; alter 
which he took shelter in the same wood, to which the right had 
retired. Here the two wings concentrated, and, being covered 
by the fences of several inclosed lots and a group of houses, with 
a thick and brushy wood, and a quantity of fallen timber in the 
rear, they made a stand with their howitzer and small arms. 
Colonel Allen was still advancing with the right wing of the 
American detachment, and was exposed to the fire of the whole 
body of the enemy. Majors Graves and Madison were then 
directed to move up with the left and the centre, to make a di- 
version in favour of the right. Their fire had just commenced 
when the right wing advanced upon the enemy's front. 

A sanguinary fight immediately followed ; the houses were 
desperately assailed, the British, who were stationed behind the 
fences, were vigorously charged, and the enemy a third time 
fled. Rapid pursuit was instantly given to him. The British 
and Indians drew the Americans into the wood in their rear, and 
again rallying their forces, several times intrepidly attempted, 
under the direction of Major Reynolds, to break the American 
line. The fight became close and extremely hot upon the right 
wing, but the whole line maintained its ground, repulsed every 
attempt, followed up the enemy each time as he fell back, and 
kept him two miles on the retreat, under a continual charge. At 
length, after having obstinately contended against the American 
arms upwards of three hours, the British and Indians were en- 
tirely dispensed, and carrying off all their wounded and as many 
of their dead as they could collect, they retired from the field, 
leaving fifteen of their warriors behind. 

The American loss amounted to twelve killed and fifty-five 
wounded. The gallantry of the officers of the detachments left 
no chance of discrimination to the commandant. Most of them 
have been already mentioned in reference to their conduct on 
other occasions. The coolness of the men was such, that whilst 
they were assaulting and driving the enemy from the houses, not 
a woman or child inhabitinsf them was hurt. Colonel Lewis 



128 SECOND BATTLE OF FRENCHTOWN. 



encamped npoii the same ground which had been previously 
occupied by the enemy. He had captured some pubUc property, 
and protected the inhabitants thus far from the apprehended 
cruelty of the Indians, and he now made preparations to maintain 
his position until he should he joined by General Winchester. 

On the 20th the troops under General Winchester arrived, 
and when the whole were concentrated they did not exceed seven 
hundred and fifty men. Six hundred were posted in pickets, and 
one hundred and fifty composing the right wing were encamped 
in an open field. On the morning of the 22d, at reveille, a com- 
bined force under Tecumseh and Colonel Proctor, of two thousand 
one hundred men attacked the encampment. The alarm gan 
was immediately fired, and the troops ready for the reception of 
the assailants. The attack commenced with a heavy fire of small 
arms, and the discharge of six pieces of artillery, directed imme- 
diately at the temporary breastwork, behind w^hich the left wing 
was stationed. The right wing was attacked with great violence 
and sustained the conflict about twenty minutes, but being out- 
numbered and overpowered, w^as obliged to retreat across the 
river. Two companies, of fifty men each, sallied out of the 
breastwork to their assistance, but retreated wdth them. A large 
body of Indians had been stationed in the rear of the encamp- 
ment belore the attack commenced, who either made prisoners 
of, or cut off the retreating party. The left wing maintained its 
ground within the pickets. 

Three furious onsets v/ere made upon it by the British 41st, 
each of which was received w^ith distinguished coolness, and each 
of which terminated in the repulse of the enemy. In the despe- 
rate resistance which was maile to the charges of this regiment, 
thirty of its men were killed, and between ninety and one hun- 
dred wounded. When the right wing was discovered to be 
retreating, every effort was used to form them in some order of 
action, either to repel the pursuers, or to regain the temporaiy 
breastwork, from behind which the remaining part of the troops 
were still gallantly defending themselves. 

General Winchester's head-quarters were several hundred yards 
from the encampment, he therefore was not in the first of the en- 
o-ao-ement, but he had no sooner arrived at the around, than he, 



AVINC HESTERS SURRENDER. 



129 



Colonel Lewis, and some others, who were attempting to rally 
the flying right wing, were taken prisoners. The remainder of 
the battle was fought in confusion, and was rather a ]:)roof of the 
invincible bravery of the Americans than of any regard which 
they had for the order of the fight. They saw the great disparity 
of force, and knew how much their own had been wea]\ened by 
the destruction of the right wing. But they continued to repel 
every charge of the assailants, until eleven o'clock, when an order 
was received, by a flag from the enemy, by which it appeared, 
that General Winchester w^as assured, that unless the troops of 
his command were immediately surrendered, the buildings in 
Frenchtown would be set on fire, and that no responsibility 
would be taken for the conduct of the savages, who composed 
the largest part of the enemy's force ; that to save the lives of the 
remaining portion of his brave troops, he had agreed to surrender 
them prisoners of war, on condition of their being protected from 
the savages, of their being allowed to retain their private property, 
and of having their side arms returned to them. Thirty-five 
officers, and four hundred and eigiity-seven non-commissioned 
officers and privates were accordingly surrendered, after having 
fought with small arms, against artillery, for six hours; and 
being all that time surrounded by Indians resorting to their usual 
terrific yells. The loss of the Americans was twenty-two officers, 
and tv/o hundred and seventy-five non-commissioned officers and 
privates killed and missing, and three officers and twenty-two 
privates wounded, who were among the prisoners surrendered. 
The enemy's loss, except that of the 41st regulars, coukl not be 
ascertained, every means being used to prevent a discovery. It 
has been supposed, however, that it was little less than that of 
the Americans. Colonel Proctor afterwards stated it, in iris 
official communication, to l)e twenty-four killed, and one hundred 
and fifty-eight wounded. 

The events which followed the surrender of the American arms, 
were of such a nature as to make the heart of man recoil from their 
recital, and to deprive the historian of a later day of that degree 
of temperance which ought ever to be inseparable from candid 
and impartial narration. Facts which have been established 
beyond the possibility of doubt, which have been testified by the 

17 



130 MASSACRE AT FRENCHTOWN. 

solemn affirmations of the officers of the captured army, and ad- 
mitted by those of the enemy, which took place immediately 
under the eye of the conquering commander, and which were 
sanctioned Ijy his presence, ought not to be withheld from the 
world ; the fidelity of history will not allow them to be magnified, 
nor can they in justice l^e extenuated. 

Destitute of the common principles of sacred humanity, and 
regardless of the civilized usages of honourable warfare, the allied 
British and Indian forces no sooner received the surrender of the 
vanquished, though brave defenders of the invaded territorj^, than 
they assailed them with their tomahawks and scalping-knives, 
and stripped them of their jiroperty and clothing. 

When the right wing fell back, and about forty men, under 
Lieutenant Isaac L. Baker, were attempting to escape, an offer 
of protection was made to them on condition of their surrender. 
Lieutenant Baker very gladly yielded to the proposal for the 
safety of his men, but the proffered protection did not follow. 
One half of his party were butchered and left naked on the 
field, and himself and the remainder were marched back to Colo- 
nel Proctor's camp. They gave up their arms to the Indians, 
and defenseless as they were, many of them who brought up the 
rear as prisoners, were massacred on the march. 

When General Winchester was captured, in the act of pursu- 
ing and rallying the right wing, the same solemn assurances of 
protection were given to him on condition of his ordering the 
whole detachment to surrender. His humanity induced him to 
comply, but when the troops were brought within the British 
camp, their side arms and accoutrements were taken firom them 
and presented to the savages. They were then left in custody 
of the Indians, who were instructed to follow the British regulars 
to Maiden, to which place the prisoners were to be conducted. 
The wounded prisoners were more likely to become the objects 
of Indian resentment, and the American general remonstrated, 
therefore, with the commanding British officer on the necessity 
of their being removed by the regulars. To this remonstrance a 
pledge was given that such prisoners should be attended to. 
They were left behind, however, and on the morning of the 23d, 
the Indians fired many houses of the inhabitants, and burnt the 



MURDER OF CAPTAIN HART. J 33 

prisoners who had been placed withm them. Being then in 
readiness to march, they arranged other prisoners in that order, 
and on finding that many of them could not walk, in consequence 
of the severity of their wounds, they immediately stripped them, 
stood them up for targets, and after killing, tomahawked and 
scalped them. Numbers of them who attempted the march to 
avoid so dreadful a fate, became exhausted on the way, and 
received the same treatment in the presence of their afflicted fel- 
low prisoners. Among those who were placed in this latter 
situation, was an officer whose case was of the most unparalleled 
atrocity. Captain N. G. S. Hart,* of Lexington, who had on 
several occasions, but on this particularly, signalized himself by 
his undaunted bravery, and who received a flesh wound in the 
knee in the early part of the engagement, on being surrendered 
with the troops, was immediately recognized by Colonel Elliot, 
an American by birth, who had been a class-mate of Captain 
Hart at an American college, and who has long been notorious 
for his activity in exciting the savages to arm themselves against 
his fellow-citizens. In this action he was bearing arms against 
his own countrymen, and on discovering the companion of his 
youth in the hands of the savages, he felt that degree of national 
sympathy, of which no man, however vile, can entirely divest 
himself; and without being solicited, made a promise of his pro- 
tection, and of providing a conveyance to Maiden, which would 
place Captain Hart under his superintendence until his recovery 
should be effected. But Colonel Elliot's promise was forgotten, 
or was made only to be broken. He departed, and a band of 
Indians entered the house in which Captain Hart lay and tore 
him from his bed, one of his brother officers then conveyed him 
to another apartment, where he was again assailed. He at length 
induced the Indians to take him to Maiden, under the promise 
of a large rew^ard. They proceeded but five miles on the road 
before they shot him while on his horse, and took his scalp. The 
fate of Colonel Allen, Captains M'Cracken, Woodfolk, Hickman, 
and other officers, was no less unfortunate than that of Captain Hart. 

* Captain Hart was brother-in-law to Mr. Henry Clay, one of the American commis- 
sioners at Ghent. 
M 



134 ■ CONDUCT OF JUDGE WOODWARD. 



When the surviving prisoners, officers and men, arrived at 
Maiden, the savages were allowed to sell them, and many of the 
American citizens wdio had been permitted to remain in the town 
of Detroit for temporary purposes, stepped forward to ransom 
them, but wdien Colonel Proctor discovered that by this means 
they obtained their release, he issued an order forbidding any 
future exchanges of prisoners for money. Most of the officers, 
and many of the men among the volunteers, were of the first 
respectability, holding offices of high trust, members of the Con- 
gress of the United States, and accustomed to those refinements 
which result from wealth, and education. They had left the ease 
and affluence with which their homes abounded, to obey the 
voice of their invaded country, and had encountered all kinds of 
hardships in their different marches. These men, while prison- 
ers at Maiden, were treated with that haughty superciliousness, 
which belongs not to the noble soldier, nor to the enlightened 
man. 

Judge Woodward, of the Supreme Court of the Michigan ter- 
ritory, rendered every assistance to the prisoners within the power 
of an individual, and by the influence wdiicli he had acquired 
over the British commander greatly alleviated their misfortunes. 
He boldly charged the enemy with the enormities which had 
been committed, and informed Colonel Proctor, after having sup- 
plied him by his own directions with affidavits which substan- 
tiated all the facts, that " the truth would undoubtedly eventuallij 
appear, and that that unfortunate day must meet the steady and 
impartial eye of history P 

Colonel Proctor extenuated the facts, made no denial of their 
occurrence, but alleged that no capitulation was entered into ; that 
the prisoners surrendered at discretion, and that therefore it was 
not necessary to control the Indians. The battle was officially 
announced to the Canadian people from the head-quarters of the 
commander-in-chief, the governor-general. His communication 
informed them that another brilliant action had been achieved by 
the division of the army under Colonel Proctor, and admitted that 
the loss of the Americans was great, because the Indian ^\'arriors 
had cut off all who attempted to escape. The Indian chief Round 
Head, he said had rendered essential services by his bravery and 



ERECTION OF FORT MEIGS. 



135 




good conduct, and Colonel Proctor had nobly displayed his gal- 
lantry by his humane and unwearied exertions in rescuing the 
vanquished from the revenge of the Indians ; for which good con- 
duct he was promoted, until the pleasure of the Prince Regent 
should be known, to the rank of a brigadier-general in Upper 
Canada. The general order concluded by ordering " a salute of 
twenty-one guns to be fired on this glorious occasion." 

General Harrison having heard of 
the exposed situation of General Win- 
chester's troops, had ordered a detach- 
ment from General Perkins's brigade to 
march under Major Cotgroves to his 
relief; but they did not reach French- 
town before the battle, and immediately 
on their return to the Rapids,, at whicli 
^place General Harrison was then sta- 
tioned, he fell back eighteen miles to 
the carrying river, in order to force a junction with the troops in 
the rear, and to cover the convoy of artillery and stores then coming 
from Upper Sandusky. From this place he despatched a flag 
of truce, with a surgeon, to Maiden to attend to the captured sick 
and wounded; his flag was not respected, however, and one of the 
surgeon's companions was killed, and himself wounded and taken 
prisoner. 

A strong desire now prevailed among the troops to avenge the 
loss of their brave brethren in arms, and Governor Meigs having 
l)romptly forwarded two regiments of Ohio militia to reinforce 
General Harrison, he again advanced to the Rapids and com- 
menced building a fort, which has since been rendered memo- 
rable under the name of Fort Meigs. ^ Fortifications were at the 
same time constructed at Upper Sandusky, under the direction 
of General Crooks. Whilst these precautionary measures were 
adopted for the protection of the troops, and the defense of the 
territory, detached parties were frequently indulged in short 
excursions, none of which resulted in any material advantage. 
In one of these, the commander-in-chief himself, marched to 
Presque isle at the head of a detachment, upon hearing that a 
body of Indians had cohected at that place ; but the Indians fled 



136 SIEGE OF FORT MEIGS. 

at his approach too rapidly to be overtaken, and he returned to his 
encampment, after having marched sixty miles in twenty-one 
hours. 

A few days after. Captain Langham was despatched to destroy 
the Queen Charlotte, then lying near Maiden ; but the decayed 
state of the ice defeated the object of the expedition. In the com- 
mencement of April a desperate affair took place between an 
equal number of Frenchmen and Indians, who fought each other 
in canoes, until the greater part on both sides were either killed 
or wounded ; but no event of any consequence occurred during 
the remainder of the winter, the unauthorized movement of Gene- 
ral Winchester was entirely subversive of General Harrison's 
plans, and so contrary to his arrangements, that the whole system 
of organization was again to be gone over. General Harrison 
therefore Jeft the troops strengthening the posts of Fort Meigs, 
Upper Sandusky, and Fort Stephenson, whilst he returned to 
Ohio to consult with the governor, to accelerate the march of the 
reinforcements, and to expedite the transportation of additional 
stores. He had not been long absent from Fort Meigs, before 
the garrison was threatened with an attack. New levies were 
hastily made from Ohio and Kentucky, but as they did not arrive 
in time to resist the enemy, now collecting in large numbers in 
the neighbourhood, the Pennsylvania brigade voluntarily ex- 
tended its term of service, which had just then expired. 

General Harrison was apprized of this circumstance by de- 
spatch, and returned with all possible expedition to the garrison. 
He arrived on the 20th April, and made instant preparation for 
an approaching siege. Patroles and reconnoitering parties were 
constantly kept out, and on the 26th they reported the enemy — 
on that day the advance of the enemy made its appearance on 
the opposite shore, and were discovered viewing the works ; after 
reconnoitering a short time they retired. On the following day 
the}^ appeared again ; but a few^ eighteen pound shot soon obliged 
them to retreat 

The fort was situated on a commanding eminence, and was 
well supplied with every necessary munition of war, but General 
Harrison being desirous of putting his men in the best possible 
state of security, was every day erecting fortifications of different 



SIEGE OF FORT MEIGS. 137 

descriptions. The troops in the garrison were animated and 
zealous in the cause of their country, and their exertions were 
without parallel. On the 28th, Captahi Hamilton was sent out 
with a patrolling party. About three miles down the Yiver he 
discovered the enemy in great force, approaching Fort Meigs, 
and immediately communicated his discovery to the general. 

An express was then sent to General Green Clay, who com- 
manded a brigade of twelve hundred Kentuckians, with an order 
for his immediate march to Fort Meigs. General Harrison ad- 
dressed the troops, informed them of the vital importance of every 
man's being vigilant and industrious at his post, and received as- 
surances that none of them would abandon their duty. A few 
British and a body of Indians commenced a very brisk fire from 
the opposite shore, but the distance was too great to do injury. 
Their fire was returned from two eighteen pounders, and they 
retired and concealed themselves from the view of the fort. In 
the evening, the enemy crossed the river in boats, and selected 
the best situations about the fort to throw up works for the pro- 
tection of their battering cannon. The garrison was completely 
surrounded, and preparations were active upon one side to storm 
the fort, and on the other to repel the most vigorous assault. 
Several dragoons, who had offered to reconnoiter the enemy's 
camp, had not proceeded far from the fort, when they were fired 
on, and one of them was shot through the arm. Early on the 
morning of the 29th, the Indians fired into the fort with their 
rifles, and mortally wounded a man who was talking with the 
general — a constant firing was kept up on both sides during the 
whole day. Several men in the garrison were slightly wounded, 
and a number of the enemy were killed. His batteries had been 
so far constructed during the night, that sufficient protection was 
afforded to him to work by daylight. Numbers of shot were 
thrown into the breastworks to impede their progress, but before 
night, he had three batteries erected, two with four embrasures 
each, and one bomb battery. 

On the morning of the 30th, the besiegers were discovered to 
have extended their batteries, and to be preparing them for the 
cannon. Their progress in doing this was retarded by a well- 
directed and constant fire from the besieged. They were observed 

31 2 18 



138 SIEGE OF FORT MEIGS. 

to carry away men from the batteries, by which it was supposed 
that the fire from the fort had either killed or wounded many of 
them. 

General Harrison, having a suspicion that the enemy intended 
to surprise and storm the garrison in its rear, from the circum- 
stance of a number of boats having repeatedly crossed from the 
old British garrison to the side on which stood the American fort, 
each loaded with men, he gave orders for one-third of the troops 
to be constantly on guard, and the remainder to sleep with their 
muskets in their arms, and to be in readiness to fly to their posts 
at any moment. The Indians occupied all the advantageous 
positions around the fort, and to this and many other discourag- 
incr circumstances was added the want of water, which was 
supplied only from the river, whence a few men were each night 
obliged to obtain enough for the garrison for the succeeding day. 
This they did at an imminent risk of their lives, the Indians being 
always on the alert. During this day there were several killed 
and wounded on both sides. In the night, a gun-boat which had 
been towed up the river by the enemy, was placed near the fort, 
and kept up a fire at intervals upon it. No one ball entered it, 
however, and on the morning of May 1st she moved off", after 
having discharged thirty shot without effect. 

This mornimx the grand traverse, at which the men had been 
some time engaged, was nearly finished, and several inferior 
ones were commenced in different directions. The American 
garrison was now in very excellent condition, and as soon as the 
well should be finished, w^ould defy the utmost power of the be- 
siegers. At about ten o'clock the enemy had one cannon pre- 
pared. With that he kept up a brisk fire. In the course of the 
day he opened several pieces on the fort, and before night he had 
in operation one twenty-four-pounder, one twelve, one six, and a 
howitzer, from which he fired two hundred and fifty-six shot dur- 
ing the day, and four at night, without doing any material injury 
to Fort Meigs ; though one man was wounded mortally, two 
badly, and five slightly, and a ball struck a bench upon which 
General Harrison was sitting. One of their pieces was silenced 
several times. 

On the second of May the firing commenced very early with 



SIEGE OF FORT MEIGS. 



139 



bombs and balls, and continued until four hundred and fifty- 
seven discharges were made in the day, and four at night. Ame- 
rican loss this day, one killed and ten wounded, besides several 
slightly touched. Numbers of the enemy's warriors were carried 
away from their batteries in blankets. On the 3d, a fierce and 
vigorous fire of bombs and cannon balls commenced with the day. 
Two batteries, one of which was a bomb-battery, Avere opened 
upon the rear right-angle of the American fort, at a distance of 
two hundred and fifty yards. Their fire was promptly returned, 
and several times silenced, but they continued it at intervals dur- 
ing the day. Six men were killed in the fort and three wounded, 
by the cannon and bombs, from which during this day and at 
night there were five hundred and sixty-three shot and shells dis- 
charged. 

The Indians ascended the trees in the neighbourhood of the 
fort and fired into it with their rifles, only one man, however, was 
killed by a bullet. On the 4th no firing took place until eleven 
o'clock. It was at first supposed that the enemy had exhausted 
himself, but at nine o'clock it was discovered that he was erectinsf 
an additional battery, to guard against which. General Harrison 
ordered a new traverse to be constructed. A heavy rain, which 
fell in the early part of the day, retarded the firing on both sides. 
The rifle was used oftener on this than on any other day. The 
cannon shot did not exceed two hundred and twenty-two. Se\ e- 
ral men were slightly wounded, and two killed in the course of 
the night. The principal part of the British were at the old bat- 
teries on the opposite side of the river, one of their officers of rank 
crossed over within musket-shot of the fort, and was shot by 
Lieutenant Gwynne. 

On the 5th, the fire from the besiegers was very slow, they 
killed three men with bombs, and discharged their pieces one 
hundred and forty-three times in all. General Clay had put his 
troops in motion as soon as he received General Harrison's orders 
of the 28th ultimo, and had marched with great expedition. At 
two o'clock on this day, M. Oliver, who had been sent with the 
despatches, arrived at the fort with forty-seven men of General 
Clay's brigade, and informed General Harrison that the whole 
detachment was within a few hour's march. Orders were imme- 



140 DEFEAT OF COLONEL DUDLEY. 

diately sent to General Clay to land eight hundred men on the 
opposite shore, to storm the enemy's batteries, spike his cannon, 
and destroy his carriages, whilst a sortie would be circuitously 
made from the fort for the purpose of attacking his new works at 
the same instant, and compelling him to raise the siege. Colonel 
Dudley was charged with the execution of this order, and Colonel 
Miller of the 19th United States infantry was to command the 
sortie. Colonel Dudley landed his men from the boats in which 
they had descended the river, and marched them resolutely up 
to the mouth of the British cannon. The four batteries were in- 
stantly carried, eleven guns spiked, and the British regulars and 
Canadian militia put to flight. 

In pursuance of General Harrison's orders. Colonel Dudley, 
after having effected the object of his landing, ought to have 
crossed the river to Fort Meigs, but his men were so much elated 
at the success of their first battle, that they were desirous of pur- 
suing and capturing the retreating enemy. An immense body 
of Indians were at that time marching to the British camp, who 
were met by the regulars as they retired. With these they 
formed, and putting the Indians in ambush, they made a feint 
to draw Colonel Dudley's men into the woods, in which they too 
well succeeded. The Indians came out from their ambuscade, 
and attacked the brave but indiscreet Kentuckians. A severe 
engagement took place, which terminated in the death or capture 
of almost the whole detachment, and which was followed by the 
same kind of massacre, though not to the same extent, which 
succeeded the surrender at Raisin. 

The British intercepted the retreat of Colonel Dudley to the 
river, where he would have been protected by the guns of Fort 
Meigs, and only one hundred and fifty men, out of eight hundred, 
effected their escape. Forty-five were tomahawked, and Colonel 
Dudley, their gallant leader, was among the killed. He is said 
to have shot one of the Indians after being himself mortally 
wounded. Tlie remainder of General Clay's brigade assailed a 
body of Indians in the wood near the fort, and would liave been 
also drawn into an ambush had not General Harrison ordered a 
party of dragoons to sally out and protect their retreat to the fort. 

The contemplated sortie was intended to have been simulta- 



SORTIE FROM FORT MEIGS. 



141 




Siege of Fort JMei?s. 



neous with the attack on the opposite side of the river ; but the 
impetuosity of Colonel Dudley's troops defeated this project, and 
Colonel Miller, with part of the 19th and a body of militia, in all 
three hundred and fifty men, sallied forth after the Indians were 
apprized of the attack upon the old batteries. He assaulted the 
whole line of their works, which was defended, as has since iDcen 
ascertained, by two hundred regulars, one hundred and fifty 
militia, and four or five hundred Indians, and after several bril- 
liant and intrepid charges, succeeded in driving the enemy from 
his principal batteries and in spiking the cannon. He then 
returned to the fort with forty-tvv^o prisoners, among whom were 
two lieutenants. 

The first cliarge was made on the Indians and Canadians by 
the battalion of Major Alexander, the second on the regulars and 
Indians by Colonel Miller's regulars, the officers of which were 
Captauis Croghan, Langham, Bradford, Nearing, and Lieutenant 
Campbell, and a company of Kentuckians, commanded by Cap- 
tain Sabrie, who distinguished himself in the first affair at 
Frenchtown. This company maintained its ground with more 
firmness than could have been expected from a hasty levy of 
militia, and against four times its number. It was at length, 



142 THE SIEGE RAISED. 



however, surrounded by Indians, and would have been entirely 
cut off, had not Lieutenant Gwynne of the 19th charged the 
Indians with part of Captain Elliot's company and released the 
Kentuckians. 

On the 6th, hostilities seemed to have ceased on both sides. 
The besieged sent down a flag by Major Ilukill to attend to the 
comforts of the American wounded and prisoners, which returned 
with the British Major Chambers, between whom and the garri- 
son some arrangements were made about sending home the pri- 
soners by Cleveland. On the 7th there was a continuation of bad 
weather. Flags were passing to and from the two armies during 
the whole day, and arrangements were entered into by which the 
American militia were to be sent to Huron, to return home by 
that route, and the Indians were to relinquish their claim to the 
prisoners taken on the opposite shore, and to receive in exchange 
for them a number of Wyandotts, who had been captured in the 
sallies of the 5th. During the 8th the exchange and intercourse 
of flags continued, and a promise was made by the British to fur- 
nish General Harrison wdth a list of the killed, wounded, and 
prisoners, which, however, was not complied with. On the 9th 
the enemy was observed to be abandoning his works, a sloop and 
several gun-boats had been brought ^^p in the night and were 
receiving the cannon — on being discovered a few guns from Fort 
Meigs obliged them to relinquish their design, and by ten o'clock 
the siege was raised, and the whole of the enemy's forces were 
on their retreat. 

Thus terminated a siege of thirteen days, in which the British 
commander. General Proctor, promised the Indian allies, that 
the American garrison should be reduced, and its defenders de- 
livered over to them as prisoners of war. Eighteen hundred 
shells and cannon balls had been fired into the fort, and a con- 
tinual discharge of small arms had been kept up, yet the American 
loss was only eighty-one killed, and one hundred and eighty-nine 
wounded. Seventeen only of the former during the siege, the 
remainder in the sortie, and the, different assaults of the 5th. Of 
the latter, one hundred and twenty-four were wounded in the 
sortie, and sixty-six during the siege. The loss of the United 
States regulars was one hundred and fifty-six in killed and 



FORCE OF THE BRITISH. 



143 



wounded, that of the Kentucky and Ohio militia and the twelve 
months volunteers, one hundred and fourteen. 

But Kentucky, as on other occasions, suffered the most severely, 
her loss in killed and wounded amounting to seventy-two. The 
daring intrepidity of the citizens of that state, had continually, 
and too often with an indiscreet impetuosity, led them into the 
most dangerous situations. It was to this that their defeat under 
Colonel Dudley was to be attributed, and because of this, that 
they lost in that affair two hundred and upwards in killed and 
missing. But it was to this, also, that the gratitude of the whole 
nation was due, when, regardless of the blood which in the first 
stage of the war she had already freely and profusely shed, her 
citizens came forward with unabating alacrity, and volunteered 
their services on every hazardous expedition. 

The force under General Proctor was reported by deserters to 
be five hundred and fifty regulars, and eight hundred militia. 
The number of the Indians was greater beyond comparison than 
had ever been brought into the field before. They were much 
dissatisfied at the failure of the repeated attacks upon the fort, 
the spoils of which had been promised to them — yet they several 
times during the sortie, prevented the capture of the whole of 
their allies, the British regulars. In one of the assaults, com- 
manded by Captain Croghan, upon a battery which was defended 
by the grenadier and light infantry companies of the 41st regi- 
ment, the enemy suffered severely, and, but for the immediate 
assistance of the Indians, could not have effected a retreat, which 
the vigour of the assault compelled them to make. 

General Harrison caused not only the ground upon which the 
enemy's batteries had been erected in the neighbourhood of the 
fort, but that on which Colonel Dudley's battle had been fought, 
to be strictly examined ; on the latter, the body of that unfortu- 
nate ofhcer was discovered dreadfully mangled. The bodies of 
several of his detachment were also found, and the whole were 
collected and buried with the honours and solemnities due to 
their rank and the occasion. Offensive preparations were now 
for a time suspended. The naval equipments on Lake Erie were 
in active forwardness, and until these were completed, the troops 
were to remain at Fort Meigs and Sandusky. The forces at 



144 GALLANTRY OF COLONEL BALL. 

either were adequate to its defense, and General Harrison left 
General Clay in command of the former, whilst he set out for 
the latter, and thence intended to repair to Franklinton to forward 
new reinforcements. In tiie montli of June a general council of 
Indian chiefs was assembled in the neighbourhood of Seneca 
town, Lower Sandusky, to which place the head-quarters of 
General Harrison had been transferred. The result of their de- 
liberations was an offer to tal^e up arms in behalf of the United 
States, and they proposed to accompany General Harrison into 
Canada. But the incursions of the hostile chiefs were now more 
frequent than before. Their depredations were extended along 
the shores of the lake, and many of the inhabitants were killed or 
made prisoners. But a temporary check was given to their in- 
roads, hj a squadron of dragoons, who encountered and cut to 
pieces a party of the most ferocious of tlie savages. 

Colonel Ball was descending the Sandusky with twenty-two 
men, when he was fired upon by about twenty Indians from an 
ambush. He charged upon and drove them from their ambus- 
cade, and after an obstinate contest upon a plain, favourable to 
the operations of cavalry, he destroyed every chief of the party. 
Dnrino- thew^armest of the engagement, he was dismounted, and 
in personal fight with a warrior of great strength. They fought 
with desperation until the colonel was relieved by an officer who 
shot down the Indian. The savages then became furious, and 
after giving their customary signal to re-ceive no quarter, they 
made a vigorous onset, and kept up the contest until their whole 
band was destroyed. This affl^ir produced some terror among 
the Indians, and the persons and property of the inhabitants were 
secured for awhile from outrage and plunder. 

The conduct of this vigilant and able oflnicer has been frequently 
spoken of in general orders. At the repulse of the besiegers of 
Fort Meigs, he was among the most conspicuous of those officers, 
who vainly strove to surpass each other in the acquittal of their 
duty. To Majors Ball, Todd, Sodwick, and Ilitzer, and Major 
Johnson of the Kentucky militia, the commander-in-chief gave 
a public expression of his warmest ap]:)robation. Of Captain 
Wood, of the engineers, who has since that time so nobly dis- 
tinguished himself in a sortie from another garrison, the general 



proctor's SUMMONS. 145 

said, that in assigning to him the first palm of merit, as far as it 
related to the transactions within the works, he was convinced 
that his decision wonld be awarded by every individual in camp, 
who witnessed his indefatigable exertion, his consummate skill 
in providing for the safety of every point, and in foiling every 
attempt of the enemy ; and his undaunted bravery in the perform- 
ance of his duty in the most exposed situation. In speaking of 
the Kentuckians, he said, that it rarely happened that a general 
had to complain of the excessive ardour of his men, yet, that such, 
always appeared to be the case w^henever the Kentucky militia 
were engaged, and that they appeared to think that valour alone 
could accomplish any thing. The general was led to make this 
remark from the conduct of Captain Dudley's men, of one of the 
militia regiments, as he understood that that gallant officer was 
obliged to turn his espontoon against his own company, to oblige 
them to desist from a further pursuit of the enemy. This declara- 
tion referred to the conduct of his company in the sortie. 

On the sixth or seventh day of the siege, General Harrison re- 
ceived from General Proctor a summons to surrender, which was 
delivered in the usual form, by Major Chaml^ers, who informed 
the ofeneral that the British commander was desirous of savino: 
the effusion of blood. General Harrison expressed great astonish- 
ment at this demand. As General Proctor did not send it on his 
arrival, he supposed that the British officers believed he was 
determined to do his duty. Major Chambers then in vain at- 
tempted to pursuade him of the high respect which General 
Proctor entertained for him as a soldier, and informed him that 
there was now a larger body of Indians assembled than had ever 
been known to have been at one time organized. General Har- 
rison dismissed him with assurances that he had a very correct 
idea of General Proctor's force ; that it was not such as to create 
the least apprehension for the result of the contest ; that General 
Proctor should never have that post surrendered to him upon any 
terms ; and that if it should fall into his hands, it should be in a 
manner calculated to do him more honour, and to g-ive him laro;er 
claims upon the gratitude of his government, than he could pos- 
sibly derive from any capitulation. 

N 19 



146 



CAMPAIGN OF 1813. 





CHAPTER IX. 

RRANGEMENTS having been entered 
into between the American and British 
commissaries to that effect, a mutual ex- 
change of prisoners took place, which re- 
,s stored to the army of the United States all 

the distinguished officers who had fallen 
C 'C^ u- iiito the hands of the enemy during^ the 

^^^"=^i-^^\^^^is^'^ — I campaign of 1812, Vigorous preparations 
had, in the mean time, been making by the northern army and 
the army of the centre, for opening the campaign of 1813. Rein- 
forcements of regulars from most of the recruiting districts, and 
the necessary supplies of provisions and military equipments, had 
been forwarded with the utmost celerity, and every thing seemed 
to promise a successful issue to the contemplated operations. 

Captain Forsythe and his company, consisting now of about 
one hundred and eighty -five men, wTre still stationed at Ogdens- 
burg were he was in command. Deserters from the Canada side 
of the St. Lawrence were continually surrendering themselves to 
him at this post, until their numbers became at length so exten- 
sive, that the vigilance of the enemy was strongly excited. 
British guards were repeatedly sent over to the American shore 
in search of them, and though they succeeded in taking about 
sixteen, they committed so many aggressions upon the persons 
and property of the citizens, that Captain Forsythe determined on 
attacking them in the village of Elizabethtown, and releasing the 
deserters whom they had thus taken and imprisoned at that place. 
On the 6th of February, he therefore drafted a part of his own 



ATTACK ON OGDENSBURG. 



147 



company, and accepted the services of a sufficient number of 
volunteers to make his command amount to two hundred men. 
With these, accompanied by Colonel Benedict and several pri- 
vate gentlemen, he proceeded up the river to Morristown, Avhere 
he formed his men, and at three o'clock on the morning of the 
7tli he crossed over to Elizabethtown, surprised the guard, took 
fifty-two prisoners, among whom were one major, three captains, 
and two lieutenants, and captured one hundred and twenty mus- 
kets, twenty rifles, two casks of fixed ammunition, and some other 
public property, without the loss of a single man. He then re- 
leased the deserters from the jail, recrossed the river, and returned 
to Ogdensburg, where he negotiated with tw^o British officers sent 
over for that purpose, for the parole of the prisoners. 

Soon after this, the movements of the enemy at Prescot were 
indicative of an intention to attack Ogdensburg. Colonel Bene- 
dict was therefore induced to call out his regiment of militia, and 
arrangements were immediately made for the defense of the 
place. On the 21st of February the enemy appeared before it 
with a force of twelve hundred men, and succeeded in driving 
out Captain Forsythe and his troops. The British attacked in 
two columns, of six hundred men each, at eight o'clock in the 
morning, and were commanded by Captain M'Donnell of the 
Glengary light infantry, and Colonel Fraser of the Canadian 
militia. The American riflemen and militia received them with 
firmness, and contended for the ground upwards of an hour; when 
the superiority of numbers compelled them to abandon it, and to 
retreat to Black Lake, nearly nine miles from Ogdensburg, after 
losing twenty men in killed and woiuided. The loss of the enemy, 
from the deliberate coolness with which the riflemen fired, was 
reputed to have been thrice that number. The British account, 
which claimed the capture of immense stores, none of which had 
ever been deposited there, admitted the loss of five distinguished 
officers. In consequence of this affair, a message was sent by 
the commandant of Fort George to Colonel M'Feely, the com- 
mandant of Fort Niagara, informing him that a salute would be 
fired the next day in honour of the capture of the American vil- 
lage. Colonel M'Feely having received intelligence in the course 
of the same evening of the capture of his majesty's frigate the 



148 



EXPEDITION AGAINST YORK. 




Commodore Cliauncev. 



Java, returned the message to the British commandant by com- 
municatins; to him his intention of firinof a salute at the same 
hour from Fort Niagara in celebration of this brilhant event. 

On the 26th of March the batteries on Black Rock were opened 
upon the enemy, and the fire continued with Httle intermission 
until night. The sailors' battery completely silenced the lower 
battery of the enemy, but what damage was done to his troops 
has not been ascertained. One man was killed, and several hurt 
by accidents at the Rock. 

Reinforcements were now every day arriving, and the concen- 
tration of a large force at Sackett's Harbour was effected about 
the middle of April. Many of the troops from Champlain and 
the shores of the St. Lawrence, among whom was Captain For- 
sythe's command, were ordered to that point, and it was confi- 
dently expected that the campaign would be commenced by the 
invasion of Canada in or before the following month of May. 
Orders had been given to Commodore Chauncey, by the navy 
department, to receive on board the squadron the commanding 



EXPEDITION AGAINST YORK. 



149 



general Dearborn, and any force which he might destine to 
proceed against the posts on the British Niagara frontier. A plan 
had been conceived and organized by General Dearborn, by 
which, in co-operation with the fleet, he was to storm and carry 
the works at Little York, the capital of Upper Canada, and to 
proceed thence to the assault of Fort George, the great bulwark 
of that country. 

The capital of Upper Canada w^as formerly known by the name 
of Toronto, and is situated at the bottom of a harbour of the same 
name, which is formed by a long and narrow peninsula called 
Gibraltar Point, on the extremity of which stores and block-houses 
are constructed. The garrison stands on a bank of the main 
land opposite to the point. To the westward of the garrison for- 
merly stood the old French fort Toronto, of which scarcely any 
vestiges remain, and adjoining this situation is a deep bay which 
receives the river Humber. The town of York was projected to 
extend to a mile and a half in length, from the mouth of the har- 
bour along its banks. The government-house, and the houses 
for the distinct branches of the legislature were handsome, and 
the view from the latter highly diversified. 

Agreeably to a previous arrangement with the commodore. 
General Dearborn and his suite, with a force of seventeen hun- 
dred men, embarked on the 22d and 23d of April, but the preva- 
lence of a violent storm prevented the sailing of the squadron 
until the 25th. On that day it moved into Lake Ontario, and 
having a favourable wdnd, arrived safely at seven o'clock on the 
morning of the 27th, about one mile to the westward of the ruins 
of Fort Toronto, and two and a half from the town of York. The 
execution of that part of the plan which applied immediately to 
the attack upon York, was confided to Colonel Pike, of the 15th 
regiment, who had then been promoted to the rank of a briga- 
dier-general, and the position which had been fixed upon for 
landing the troops was the site of the old fort. The approach of 
the fleet being discovered from the enemy's garrison. General 
Sheaflie, the British commandant, hastily collected his whole 
force, consisting of upwards of seven hundred and fifty regulars 
and militia, and one hundred Indians, and disposed them in the 
best manner to resist the landing of the American force. 

n2 



150 ATTACK ON YORK. 

A body of British grenadiers were paraded on the shore, and 
the Glengary fencibles, a corps which had been discipUned with 
uncommon pains since the commencement of the war, were sta- 
tioned at another point. Bodies of Indians were observed in 
groups in different directions, in and about the woods below the 
site of the fort, and numbers of horsemen were stationed in the 
clear ground surrounding it. These were seen moving into the 
town, where strong field-works had been thrown up to oppose 
the assailants. The Indians were taking post at stations which 
were pointed out to them by the British officers with great skill, 
from which they could annoy the Americans at the point which 
the water and the weather would compel them to land. Thus 
posted, they were to act as tirrailleurs. The regulars were dis- 
covered to be moving out of their works in open columns of 
platoons, and marching along the bank in that order into the 
woods. 

At eight o'clock the debarkation commenced ; at ten it was 
completed. Major Forsythe and his riflemen in several large 
batteaux, were in the advance. They pulled vigorously for the 
designated ground at the site, but were forced by a strong 
easterly wind a considerable distance above. The enemy being 
within a few feet of the water, and completely masked by the 
thickness of a copse, commenced a galling fire of musketry and 
rifle. To have fallen further from the clear ground at which he 
w"as first ordered to land, would have subjected, not only his own 
corps, but the whole body of the troops, to great disadvantages ; 
and by landing at a greater distance from the town, the object 
of the expedition might be frustrated. Major Forsythe there- 
fore determined upon making that part of the shore "on which 
the enemy's principal strength was stationed, and desired his 
men to rest a moment on their oars, until his riflemen should 
return the shot. 

General Pike was at this moment hastening the debarkation 
of the infantry, when, as he was standing on the ship's deck, he 
observed the pause of the boats in advance, and springing into 
that which had been reserved for himself and staff, he called to 
them to jump into the boat with him, ordered Major King of 
the 15th (the same Avho had distinguished himself in carrying 



CAPTURE OF THE BATTERIES. 



151 



the enemy's batteries opposite Black Rock,) to follow him instantly 
with three companies of that regiment, and pushed for the Ca- 
nadian shore. Before he reached it, Forsythe had landed and 
was already engaged with the principal part of the British and 
Indian force, under the immediate command of General Sheaffe. 
He contended with them nearly half an hour. The infantry 
under Major King, the light artillery under Major Eustis, the 
volunteer corps commanded by Colonel M'Clure, and about thirty 
men, who had been selected from the 15th at Plattsburg, trained 
to the rifle, and designed to act as a small corps of observation, 
under Lieutenant Riddle, then landed in rapid succession, and 
formed in platoons. 

General Pike took command of the first, and ordering the 
whole body to prepare for a charge, led them on to the summit 
of the bank, from which the British grenadiers were pouring 
down a volley of musketry and rifle shot. The advance of the 
American infantry was not to be withstood, and the grenadiers 
yielded their position and retired in disorder. The signal of 
victory was at the same instant heard from Forsythe's bugles, 
and the sound had no sooner penetrated the ears of the Indians, 
than they gave a customary yell and fled in every direction. 
The Glengary corps then skirmished with Forsythe's, whilst a 
fresh body of grenadiers, supposed to have been the Sth or King's 
regiment, made a formidable charge upon the American column, 
and partially compelled it to retire. But the officers instantly 
rallied the troops, who returned to the ground, and impetuously 
charged upon, and routed the grenadiers. A reinforcement of 
the remainder of the 15th then arrived, with Captain Steel's pla- 
toon, and the standards of the regiment, and the Americans 
remained undisputed masters of the ground. A fresh front, 
however, was presented by the British at a distance, which gave 
way and retired to the garrison, as soon as the American troops 
were again fonued, by Major King, for the charge. 

The whole body of the troops being now landed, orders were 
given by General Pike to form in platoons, and to march in that 
order to the enemy's worlds. The first line was composed of 
Forsythe's riflemen, with front and flank guards ; the regiments 
of the first brigade, with their pieces; and three platoons of 



152 CAPTURE OF THE BATTERIES. 



reserve, under the orders of Major Swan ; Major Eustis and his 
train of artillery were formed in the rear of this reserve, to act 
where circumstances might require. The second line was com- 
posed of the 21st regiment, in six platoons, flanked by Colonel 
M'Clure's volunteers, divided equally as light troops, and all 
under the command of Colonel Ripley. Thus formed, an injunc- 
tion was iriven to each ofiicer, to suffer no man to load ; when 
within a short distance of the enemy, an entire reliance would 
be placed on the bayonet ; and the column moved on, with as 
much velocity as the streams and ravines which intersected the 
road along the lake would permit. One field-piece, and a howit- 
zer, were with difficulty passed over one of these, the bridges 
of which had been destroyed, and placed at the head of the 
column, in charge of Lieutenant Fanning, of the 3d artillery. 

As the column emerged from the woods, and came immediately 
in front of the enemy's first battery, two or three twenty-four- 
pounders were opened upon it, but without any kind of effect. 
The column moved on, and the enemy retreated to his second 
battery. The guns of the first were immediately taken, and 
Lieutenant Riddle, having at this moment come up with his 
corps, to deliver the prisoners which he had made in the woods, 
v/as ordered to proceed to take possession of the second battery, 
about one hundred yards ahead, the guns of which. Lieutenant 
Fraser, aid-de-camp to the general, reported to have been 
spiked by the enemy, whom he discovered retreating to the gar- 
rison. General Pike then led the column up to the second bat- 
tery, where he halted to receive the captured ammunition, and 
to learn the strength of the garrison. But as every appearance 
indicated the evacuation of the barracks, he suspected the enemy 
of an intention to draw him within ranoe of the shot, and then 
suddenly to show himself in great force. Lieutenant Riddle was 
sent forward with his corps of observation, to discover if there 
were any, and what number of troops, within the garrison. 

The barracks were three hundred yards distant from the second 
battery, and whilst this corps was engaged in reconnoitering. Ge- 
neral Pike, after removing a wounded prisoner from a dangerous 
situation, had seated himself upon a stump, and commenced an 
examination of a British sergeant, vrho liad been taken in the 



GENERAL PIKE WOUNDED. 153 

woods. Riddle having discovered that the enemy had abandoned 
the jrarrison, was about to return with this information, A\'hen 
the maijazine, which was situated outside the barrack vard, blew 
up, with a tremendous and a^\-ful explosion, passed over Riddle 
and his party, without injuring one of his men, and killed and 
wounded General Pike, and two hundred and sixty of the 
column. The severity of General Pike's wounds disabled him 
from further service, and the command of the troops devolved 
upon Colonel Pearce of the 16th regiment, who sent a command 
to the town of York for an immediate surrender. 

The plan of the contemplated operations was known only to 
General Pike, and, as General Dearborne had not yet landed, 
the future movements of the troops would depend upon the wdll 
of their new^ commander. He ordered them immediately to form 
the column, and to march forward and occupy the barracks, which 
Major Forsythe, who had been scouring the adjoining wood, had 
already entered. Meanwhile the British regulars were retreat- 
ing across the Don, and destroying the bridges in their rear. 
After the explosion, which killed about fift}^ of the enemy who 
had not retired in time from the garrison, Lieutenant Riddle 
with his party, then reinforced by thirty regulars under Lieu- 
tenant Horrell of the 16th, pursued the enemy's route, and an- 
noyed his retreating guard from the wood. This was the only 
pursuit which was made. Had a more vigorous push followed 
the abandonment of the enemy's garrison, his whole regular 
force must have been captured, and the accession of military 
stores would have been extensively great. The majoritv of the 
officers were well aware of this, and as it was known that the 
stores were deposited at York, they urged the necessity of an 
immediate approach of the whole column, to prevent their 
removal. 

Colonel Pearce then marclied towards the town, which was 
distant three-quarters of a mile. About half way between York 
and the garrison, the column was intercepted by several officers 
of the Canadian militia, who had come out with terms of capitu- 
lation. Whilst these were discussing, the enemy was engaged 
in destroying the military storehouse, and a large vessel of war 

then on the stocks, which in three days might have been 

20 



154 



CAPTURE OF YORK. 



launched, and added to the American squadron on Lake Ontario. 
Forsythe, who was on the left in advance, being aware of this, 
despatched Lieutenant Riddle to inform Colonel Pearce. Colo- 
nel Ripley was at the same time urging a rapid march, and the 
troops again proceeded. Colonel Pearce enjoined the observ- 
ance of General Pike's orders, that the property of the inhabit- 
ants of York should be held sacred, and that any soldier who 
should so far neglect the honour of his profession, as to be guilty 
of plundering, should, on conviction, be punished with death. 
At' four o'clock in the afternoon, the Americans were in posses- 
sion of the town, and terms of capitulation were agreed upon, 
hj which, notwithstanding the severe loss which the army and 
the nation had sustained by the death of the general ; the un- 
warrantable manner in which that loss was occasion ; and the 
subtlety with which the militia colonels offered to capitulate at 
a distance from the town, so that the column might be detained 
imtil General Sheaffe should escape, and the destruction of the 
public property be completed, although one of its articles stipu- 
lated for its delivery into the hands of the Americans ; the mi- 
litia were freed from all hardship, and not only their persons 
and property, but their legislative hall and other public build- 
ings were protected. The terms of capitulation were, " that the 
troops, regulars and militia, and the naval officers and seamen, 
should be surrendered prisoners of war. That all public stores^ 
naval and 7mMar\j, should be immediately given up to the com- 
manding officers of the army and navy of the United States, 
and that all private property should be guarantied to the citi- 
zens of the town of York. That all papers belonging to the 
civil officers should be retained by them, and that such surgeons 
as might be procured to attend the wounded of the British regu- 
lars and Canadian militia, should not be considered prisoners of 
war." Under this capitulation, one lieutenant-colonel, one major, 
thirteen captains, nine lieutenants, eleven ensigns, one deputy 
adjutant-general, and four naval officers, and two hundred and 
fifty-one non-commissioned officers and privates, were surren- 
dered. The American infantry were then ordered to return to, 
and quarter in, the barracks, while the riflemen were stationed 
in the town. 



DEATH OF GENERAL PIKE. 



157 




General Pike. 



When General Pike's wound was discovered to be mortal, he 
was removed from the field, and carried to the shipping, with his 
wounded aids. As they conveyed him to the water's edge, a sudden 
exclamation was heard from the troops, which informed him of the 
American having supplanted the British standard in the garrison. 
He expressed his satisfaction by a feeble sigh, and after being 
transferred from the Pert schooner to the commodore's ship, he 
made a sign for the British flag, which had then been brought 
to him, to be placed under his head, and expired w^ithout a groan. 
Thus perished in the arms of victory, by the iingenerous stratagem 
of a vanquished foe, a soldier of tried valour and invincible cou- 
rage ; — a general of illustrious virtues and distinguished talents. 

When the British general saw the American column advanc- 
ing from the w^oods, he hastily drew up the articles of the capitu- 
lation, and directed them to be delivered to a colonel of the York 
militia. This colonel was instructed to negotiate the terms, 
after the regulars should have retreated. General Sheaffe, there- 
fore, considered the garrison to be as much surrendered, as if 



158 CAPTURE OF MUNITIONS OF WAR. 

the articles had been actually agreed upon and signed. Yet he 
treacherously ordered a train to be laid, which it was so cal- 
culated, that the explosion of the magazine should be caused, at 
the time when the Americans should arrive at the barracks. 
Had not General Pike halted the troops at the enemy's second 
battery, the British plan would have attained its consummation, 
and the destruction of the whole column would have been the 
natural consequence. The train had been skilfully laid, and 
the combustil^les arranged in a manner to produce the most 
dreadful effect. Five hundred barrels of powder, several cart- 
loads of stone, and an immense quantity of iron, shells, and 
shot, wTre contained in the magazine. The calamity which 
followed the explosion, caused no discomfiture among the troops. 
A number of their officers of high rank, and of equal worth, 
were either killed or wounded, and they became actuated by a 
desire to revenge their fall. "Push o?i, my brave fellows, and 
avenge your geiieral^' were the last words of their expiring com- 
mander. They instantly gave three cheers, formed the column, 
and marched on rapidly. Had they been led directly to York, 
the issue of the expedition would have been fruitful with advan- 
tages. As it was, however, the enemy's means were crippled, 
his resources cut off, and the military stores of the captors, ex- 
tensively multiplied. Most of the guns, munitions of war, and 
provisions, necessary to carry on the campaign by the enemy, 
had been deposited at York, and notwithstanding the firing of 
the principal storehouse, an immense quantity fell into the 
hands of the Americans. The baggage and private papers of 
General Sheaffe were left at York, in the precipitation of his 
flight, and proved to be a valuable acquisition to the American 
commander. These and the public stores were the only articles 
of capture. The conduct of the troops needed no restraint. 
Though their indignation was highly excited, by the circum- 
stances of a scalp having been found suspended near the speaker's 
chair, in the legislative chamber, neither the ornaments of 
the chamber, the building itself, nor the public library, were 
molested. A large quantity of flour deposited X\\ the public 
stores, was distributed among the inhabitants, on condition that 
it should be used for their own consumption ; and those whose 



CO-OPERATION OF THE FLEET. 159 

circumstances were impoverished, were supplied with many 
other articles of the captured provisions. The balance Avas taken 
on board the fleet, with the naval stores, or destroyed upon the 
shore. 

Immediately after the fall of General Pike, the commander- 
in-chief landed with his staff, but he did not reach the troops 
until they had entered York. He there made arrangements to 
expedite their departure for the other objects of the expedition, 
and they were soon after re-embarked. 

The co-operation of the squadron was of the greatest import- 
ance to the attack upon the enemy's garrison. As soon as the 
debarkation was completed. Commodore Chauncey directed the 
schooner to take a position near the forts, in order that the attack 
of the army and navy, might if possible, be simultaneous. The 
larger vessels could not be brought up, and in consequence of the 
wind, the schooners were obliged to beat up to their intended 
position. This they did, under a very heavy fire from the 
enemy's batteries, and having taken their station within six 
hundred yards of the principal fort, opened a galling fire, and 
contributed very much to its destruction. The loss on board the 
squadron, was three killed and eleven wounded. Among the 
killed were midshipmen Thompson and Hatheld, the latter of 
whom, in his dying moments, had no other care than to know 
if he had performed his duty to his country. 

In the action the loss of the American army was trifling ; but 
in consequence of the explosion, it was much greater than the 
enemy's loss in killed and wounded. Fourteen were killed and 
thirty-two wounded in battle, and thirty-eight were killed and 
two hundred and twenty-two wounded by the explosion, so 
that the total American loss amounted to three hundred and 
twenty men. Among those who fell by the explosion, besides 
General Pike, were seven captains, seven subalterns, one aid-de- 
camp, one acting aid, and one volunteer aid. The enemy's loss 
in killed and wounded amounted to - - - - 200 

Militia prisoners, ------ 500 

Regulars, prisoners, ------ 50 

Total, . _ 750 



160 CASUALTIES. 



His wounded were left in the houses on the road leading to, 
and in the neighbourhood of, York, and were attended to by the 
American army and navy surgeons. The prisoners were all 
paroled, and the troops withdrawn from York immediately after 
its capture. 

The officers of the 15th greatly distinguished themselves 
throughout the day. The death of their gallant leader, who had 
personally organized that regiment, and had already successfully 
led detachments of it to the field, inspired them with a more 
determined spirit to revenge the barbarous act of a defeated 
enemy, than could be felt by any other corps. Animated by 
this desire, with hearts panting for its fulfilment, they anxiously 
pressed forward, and had they been permitted to pursue the 
retreating column of the English, under the distinguished officer 
(Major King) who now commmanded them, General Sheaffe 
and his regulars could not have effected their escape. Several 
platoon officers of this and the 16th regiment were killed. Cap- 
tains Nicholson and Lyon by the explosion — Captain Hoppock, 
as his company were landing. Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell of 
the 3d regiment of artillery, acted as a volunteer on the expedi- 
tion, and by his indefatigable exertions, at every post of danger, 
gave strong presages of that gallantry, by which he has since 
identified himself with the bravest officers of the army. Major 
Eustis, Captains Scott, Young, Walworth, and M'Glassin, and 
Stephen H. Moore of the Baltimore volunteers, who lost a leg 
by the explosion, and Lieutenants Fanning and Riddle, were 
among the most conspicuous officers of the day. The latter had 
been expressly selected by General Pike, from his own regiment, 
to command the corps of observation, and was always appointed 
to the most hazardous enterprises. 

Lieutenant Bloomfield of the 15th, and nephew to Brigadier- 
General Bloomfield, was also killed. The army sustained another 
loss in the death of this brave young officer. The 21st regiment, 
under Colonel Ripley, though it formed part of the reserve, and 
did not participate in the action at the place of landing, was in a 
state of strict discipline, and manoeuvered with great skill. 

On the 1st day of May the Canadian territory in the neigh- 
bourhood of York, was entirely evacuated. The troops were all 



OPERATIONS OF COMMODORE CIIAUNCEY. 161 

placed in the vessels to which they had been respectively assigned, 
and a small schooner was despatched to Niagara to apprize Gene- 
ral Morgan Lewis, then in command at that place, of the resnlt 
of the expedition against York, and of the intended approach of 
the troops toward Fort Niagara. 

But the fleet, which consisted of about seventeen sail, did not 
leave the harbour of York until the 8th, in consecpience of the 
prevalence of contrary winds. Late on that day they arrived at 
Four Mile Creek, which empties into the lake at that distance 
below Fort Niagara, and thence takes its name. Here the troops 
were landed. 

On the 9th, two schooners, under command of Lieutenant 
Pettigrew of the navy, were ordered to proceed to the head of 
Lake Ontario, with one hundred regulars, commanded by Captain 
Willoughby Morgan, of the 12th regiment, to destroy or capture 
the public stores, which were then known to be deposited there. 
On their arrival, the enemy's guard, of about eighty men, retired, 
the public buildings were destroyed by the detachment, the stores 
brought away, and the expedition returned on the 11th without 
loss. 

On the 10th Commodore Chauncey sailed with the remainder 
of the fleet, to convey the w^ounded officers and men to Sackett's 
Harbour, and to obtain reinforcements there for the army. Be- 
tween the time of his arrival at the harbour and the •22d of May, 
detachments of the squadron sailed on different days for Niagara, 
with such reinforcements as could be spared. Having directed the 
schooners Fair American and Pert, commanded by Lieutenants 
Cliauncey and Adams, to remain near the harliour, and to watch 
the enemy's movements from Kingston, the commodore sailed on the 
22d with three hundred and fifty of Colonel Macomb's regiment of 
artillery, and a number of additional guns, and arrived at the Ni- 
agara on the 25th. Arrangements were immediately made between 
Commodore Chauncey and General Dearborn, for an attack upon 
Fort George and its dependencies. 

On the 26th the commodore reconnoitered the position at which 
the troops were to be landed, and at night sounded the shore, and 
placed buoys at stations for the small vessels. The weather, which 
had been for several days extremely boisterous, now moderated, 

o 2 21 " 



162 ATTACK OF FORT GEORGE. 

and it was agreed that a coiijoint attack, by the army and navy, 
should be made on the foUoAving morning. A sufficient quantity 
of boats, to land the troops in the order of attack, had been by this 
time provided, and a considerable number which had been for 
several days building at the Five Mile Meadows, above the fort, 
were now in readiness to be launched into the Niagara river. 

On the afternoon of the 26th, the enemy, having observed the 
preparations for launching the boats, opened a small battery, 
which had been erected immediately opposite the Meadow^s, for 
the purpose of annoying the workmen and of destroying the boats. 
The fire from this battery produced a premature cannonade be- 
tween Forts George and Niagara, which was followed by a bom- 
bardment between all the batteries in the neighbourhood of the 
two forts. The battery which stood directly opposite Fort George, 
did great injury to that garrison, and its guns were directed with 
such precision that the halyards of the enemy's flag staff wxre 
shot away. No block house or w^ooden building of any descrip- 
tion, in or near that fort, escaped injury ; whilst on the American 
side, not the most trifling loss w^as sustained. Tlie boats, in the 
mean time, succeeded in passing Fort George, and proceeded to 
the encampment at Four Mile creek. 

On the same night all the artillery, and as many troops as could 
possibly be accommodated, w^ere put on board the Madison, the 
Oneida, and the Lady of the Lake. The remainder were to 
embark in the boats, and to follow the fleet. At three o'clock on 
the morning of the 27th, signal was made for the fleet to weigh 
anchor. In consequence of the calmness of the w^eather, the 
schooners were obliged to resort to sweeps to attain their posi- 
tions ; which they did in the following order — Sailing-masters 
Trant, in the Julia, and Mix, in the Growler, took their stations 
at the mouth of the river, and silenced a battery, which, from its 
situation, commanded the shore where the troops were to land, 
about one-fourth of a mile below the town of Newark. Mr. 
Stevens in the Ontario, took a position to the north of the light- 
house, near which this battery was erected, and so close to the 
shore as to enfilade the battery, and cross the fire of the Julia and 
Growler. Lieutenant Brov/n in the Governor Tompkins, stationed 
himself near the Two Mile creek, on the enemy's side, where a 



ATTACK ON FORT GEORGE. 163 



battery had been erected of one heavy gun. Lieutenant Pettigrew 
in the conquest, anchored to the south-east of the same battery, 
opened on it in the rear, and crossed the fire of the Governor 
Tompkins. Lieutenant M'Pherson in the Hamilton, Lieutenant 
Smith in the Asp, and Sailing-Master Osgood in the Scourge, 
took stations near the above, to cover the landing and to scour the 
woods and the plain. This disposition was skilfully effected, and 
each vessel was within musket-shot of the shore. 

At four o'clock. Generals Dearborn and Lewis, with their 
suites, went on board the Madison, and by that hour the troops 
were all embarked. The whole number amounted to more than 
four thousand. The batteries were now playing upon each 
other from the opposite sides of the river, and the troops advanced 
at intervals in three brigades. The advance was led by Colonel 
Scott. It was composed of the artillery acting as infantry ; of For- 
sythe's riflemen ; and of detachments from infantry regiments ; 
and landed near the fort, which had been silenced by the Governor 
Tompkins. 

General Boyd, to whom the late General Pike's brigade had 
been assigned, commanded the first line, which was flanked by 
Colonel M'Clure's Baltimore and Albany volunteers. This bri- 
gade struck the enemy's shore immediately after the advance 
had landed. The second brigade under General Winder, followed 
next, and then the third under General Chandler. While the 
troops were crossing the lake in this order, the wind suddenly 
sprang up very fresh from the eastward, and caused a heavy 
sea directly on the shore ; the boats could not therefore be got 
off to land the troops from the Madison and Oneida before the 
first and second brigades had advanced, and Macomb's regiment, 
and the marines under Captain Smith, did not reach the shore 
until the debarkation of these brigades had been completed. 

When the advance, which consisted of- about five hundred 
men, was approaching the point of landing, successive volleys 
of musketry were poured upon it by twelve hundred regulars, 
who were stationed in a ravine. A brisk exchange of shot was 
kept up for fifteen minutes ; the advance, nevertheless, continu- 
ing to .approach the enemy without faltering. Such, indeed, 
was the eagerness of the troops, that oflficers and men jumped 



164 CAPTITRE OF FORT GEORGE. 



into the lake and waded to the shore. Captain Hindman of the 
2d artillery, was the first man upon the enemy's territory. The 
troops were now formed with celerity, and led to the charge. 
They drove the enemy from their strong hold, and disper.*4ed 
them in every direction ; some of their forces taking to the wood 
for shelter, and otkers retreating to the fort. The former were 
vigorously pursued by Forsythe's riflement, and the latter by 
the advance corps, and the first brigade. Few shot were fired 
from the fort, the panic being instantly communicated to the 
garrison. Fort Niagara and its dependent batteries were still 
throwing in their shot, and Fort George having become untena- 
ble, the enemy hastily laid a train to the magazines, aljandoned 
all their works, and moved off with the utmost precipitation in 
different routes. Colonel Scott with his light troops continued 
the pursuit, until he was recalled by an order from General 
Boyd. Lieutenant Riddle had been sent by Colonel Scott with 
his detached party, to annoy the rear of the enemy, but not being 
ordered back, at the time when the light troops were recalled, 
he followed his route to Queenstown, and took up several of his 
straggling parties. The dragoons under Colonel Burn, crossed 
tlie Niagara river above Fort George, at the moment the pur- 
suit was stopped. The light troops now took possession of Fort 
George; Colonel Scott, and Captains Hindman and Stockton, 
with their companies, entering first and extinguishing the fires, 
Avliich were intended to explode the magazine : one had, how- 
ever, already been blown up. General Boyd and Colonel Scott 
mounted tlie parapet, and cut away the staff, whilst Captain 
HindmarL succeeding in taking the flag which the enemy had 
left flying, and which he forwarded to General Dearl3orn. The 
American ensign was then hoisted in the town and fort, and all 
the troops were called in and quartered. At twelve o'clock, 
Newark, and all its surrounding batteries, were in qidet possession 
of the American army — and such was the speed Avith which the 
enemy retreated, that very few of his troops were overtaken. 
General Dearborn's forces liad been luider arms eleven hours, 
and were too much exhausted to pursue liim with as much ra- 
pidity as he moved off. 

At the time the enemy abandoned his works, the wind had 



f "'^n ;-j."r- 




LOSS OF THE ENEMY. 



167 



increased so much and the sea had become so violent toward the 
shores that the situation of the fleet at the stations which the 
different vessels had taken, was thought to be dangerous in the 
extreme. Commodore Chauncey therefore made signal for the 
whole fleet to w^eigh, and to proceed into the river, where they 
anchored between the Forts George and Niagara. Although 
the action was fought by inferior numbers on the American side, 
the advance, and part of Boyd's brigade only being engaged, 
the loss of the enemy was excessive. He had in killed one 
hundred and eight, in wounded one hundred and sixty-three, 
one hundred and fifteen regulars were taken prisoners, exclusive 
of his w^ounded, all of whom fell into the hands of the Americans. 
So that the loss of the enemy in killed, wounded, and prisoners, 
of his regular force, amounted to three hundred and eighty-six. 
The militia prisoners who were paroled to the number of five 
hundred and seven, being added to their loss, makes a total 
of eight hundred and ninety-three. The American army lost 
thirty-nine in killed, and one hundred and eleven in wounded. 
Among the former only one officer, Lieutenant Hobart of the 
light artillery. Among the latter were Major King of the 15th, 
Captain Arrowsmith of the 6th, Captain Steele of the 16th, Cap- 
tain Roach of the 23d, (who had been wounded at the battle of 
Queenstown heights, and w^as promoted to the rank of captain 
for his good conduct there,) and Lieutenant Swearingen of For- 
sythe's riflemen. The British 49th (Invincibles) was in this ac- 
tion, and Colonel Myers, wdio commanded it, was wounded and 
taken prisoner. 

In speaking of the conduct of the soldiers and seamen, both 
General Dearborn and Commodore Chauncey alleged that all 
behaved too well to suffer the election of any one for commen- 
dation. The former, however, in a second despatch to the war 
department, stated that the whole of the officers and men dis- 
covered that readiness and ardour for action, which evinced a 
determination to do honour to themselves and their country — that 
the animating examples set by General Boyd and Colonel Scott, 
deserved particular mention, and that he, the commander-in- 
chief, was greatly indebted to Colonel M. Porter, of the light 
artillery; to Major Armistead, of the 3d regiment of artillery; 



168 CHAUNCEY AND PERRY. 

and to Captain Totten, of the engineers, for their skilful execu- 
tion, in demolishing the enemy's forts and batteries. Lieute- 
nant-commandant Oliver H. Perry had joined the squadron on 
the night of the 25th, volunteered his services in the contem- 
plated attack, and rendered great assistance in arranging and 
superintending the debarkation of the troops. On board the 
squadron, the loss was one killed and two wounded. Commo- 
dore Chauncey was indefatigable in his co-operations with the 
army, in all its important movements. In this affair many of 
the advantages which were obtained, were to be attributed to his 
judicious plan of silencing the enemy's batteries. General 
Dearborn had been confined for several days by a violent indis- 
position ; but he refused to yield the command of the expedition, 
and issued his orders regularly from his bed. 

Captain Perry was despatched to Black Rock the day after 
the l)attle, with fifty seamen to take five vessels to Lake Erie as 
soon as possible, and to prepare the whole squadron for the ser- 
vice by the 15th of June. Two brigs had been launched at 
Erie, and two or three small schooners, had been purchased into 
the service. The squadron was daily expected to be in readi- 
ness to proceed to Presque isle, to co-operate with the north- 
western army. 

On the 28th, General Dearborn having received information 
that the enemy had made a stand on tlie mountain, at a place 
called Beaver Dam, where he had a deposit of provisions and 
stores ; and that he had been joined by three hundred regulars 
from Kingston, landed from small vessels, at the head of the 
lake, immediately ordered General Lewis to march to that place, 
with Chandler's and Winder's brigades, the light artillery, dra- 
goons, and riflemen, to cut off his retreat. Although the ene- 
my's troops from Fort Eric and Chippewa, had joined his main 
body at Beaver Dam, he precipitately In-oke up his encampment 
on the approach of the Americans, and fled along the mountains 
to the head of the lake. General Lewis's army moved on, and 
took possession of the different posts between Fort George and 
Fort Erie, the latter of which was entered by Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Preston, of the 15th, in the evening of that day; the post 
having been previously abandoned, and the magazines blown up 



SURPRISED BY THE ENEMY. 169 

by the enemy. Two days before, the Queen Charlotte, and 
three others, of the enemy's vessels, came down to that fort, but 
on hearing of the capture of Fort George, they proceeded up 
the lake to Maiden. 

The enemy, having abandoned all his positions along the Nia- 
gara, General Lewis returned with his division to Fort George ; 
but as it w^as rumoured that General Proctor intended to march 
from the north-western frontier, to join General Vincent, who 
had already marched from that place ; and to retrieve the mis- 
fortunes of the British arms, it became necessary to press forward 
with a force competent to prevent the union of the British gene- 
rals, or at least to intercept them in their contemplated route. 
General Winder was, therefore, despatched on the 1st day of 
June, with his own brigade and one regiment of General Chan- 
dler's. He was followed on the 3d, by the remainder of Chandler's 
brigade, the dragoons and artillery, under the orders of that 
general, to whom the chief command was assigned. They pro- 
ceeded to the Forty Mile Creek, where they gained intelligence 
of General Vincent's havino- taken a stand Burlino-ton Heio^hts, 
near Stony Creek, being about forty-eight miles distant from 
the Fort George. 

In the vicinity of Stony Creek the Americans encamped; 
but in so careless a manner that they were surprised by the 
enemy at mi^d night, and several of their principal officers made 
prisoners. General Vincent, it has been supposed, became pos- 
sessed of the American countersign — and having discovered 
that the weakest part of the camp was its centre, he made an 
attack upon it, at that point, at two o'clock on the morning of 
the 6th. Profiting by the example of the Americans at York, 
he ordered that no musket should be loaded, lest a precipitate 
fire might apprize his unsuspecting enemy of his advance, and 
led up the 8th or King's regiment, and the 49th, with fixed 
bayonets, to charge upon the sentinels. 

The American advanced guard, under command of Captain 
Van Vechton, were first alarmed by the groan of a dying senti- 
nel, and were surprised and made prisoners. Five pieces of 
light artillery, near the front were captured, and turned upon 
the encampment, before the alarm became general. The two 



170 CAPTURE OF CHANDLER AND WINDER. 



brigadiers, Chandler and Winder, who had but an hour before, 
separated from a council, were instantly mounted, and the men 
formed with as much facility as the extreme darkness of the 
morning would permit. General Chandler took post in the rear 
of the left flank of the right wing — General Winder commanded 
the left wing. Such was the momentary confusion which pre- 
vailed, that the contending parties could not distinguish each 
other. When the five pieces of artillery were fired into the 
encampment, Generals Chandler and Winder both rode up to 
the battery, to prevent another discharge, under an impression 
that the American troops had mistaken the enemy. They were 
both consequently captured. 

The other officers were ignorant of the loss of their generals, 
and each chose his own plan of resisting the assailing party. 
The advanced corps, the 5th, 25th, and part of the 23d, were 
ensragred ; those in the rear did not g-et to the assistance of the 
front. The 16th, which because of the illness of its colonel, and 
the absence of its lieutenant-colonel, and other field-officers, was 
commanded by Captain Steel, was forming on its standards, 
wdien the cavalry, under Colonel Burn, having cut their way 
through the British 49th, with such impetuosity, that they could 
not stop, pierced through the centre of that regiment. The con- 
fusion increased. The different companies of the 16th, were 
firing on each other ; the artillery w^ere engaging ihe infantry ; 
and the cavalry the artillery; each corps being under an im- 
pression, that it was contending with the enemy. 

This state of things continued, until Captain Towson opened 
his artillery, which, being stationed more in the rear than any 
of the other pieces, he brought against the enemy wdth such 
effect, that the confusion and disorder, which had taken place 
in the American lines, prevailed also within the British. The 
companies of the 2d artillery, which were then acting as light 
corps, under Captains Hindman, Nicholas, Biddle, and Archer, 
kept up an incessant fire, until the dawn of the day enabled the 
troops to distinguish each other. An attempt was then made to 
form the line. Colonel Burn now commanding. 

The 5th regiment, which had been annoying the enemy from 
the commencement of the action until daybreak, did not lose 



RESULTS OF THE BATTLE. 178 

one man, and was found at that time formed in line, and sustained 
on its left flank by part of the '23d, under Major Armstrong. 
The firing from the encampment became brisk, and irresistible. 
The enemy gave way, rallied, and broke again. The dragoons 
charged upon, and completely routed them. They fled in every 
direction, and their commanding oflicer was missing before day. 
His horse and accoutrements were found upon the ground. He 
was discovered by his own people, in the course of the same 
day, almost famished, at a distance of four miles from the scene 
of action. 

Several desperate efforts had been made, before the enemy 
fled, to take the artillery. Lieutenant Machesney's gallantry 
recovered one piece, and prevented the capture of others. Lieu- 
tenant M'Donough of the '2d artillery, pursued a retreating party, 
and recovered another. The good conduct of these brave young 
men, as well as that of Captains Hindman, Nicholas, Archer, 
Steele, and Leonard, of the light artillery, has been spoken of 
in general orders, in terms of strong commendation. Colonel 
Burn and Colonel Milton, gallantly distinguished themselves, 
and were said to have saved the army. 

The American loss in this affair was sixteen killed, thirty-eight 
wounded, and two brigadier-generals, one major, three captains, 
and ninety-four men missing ; making in all, one hundred and 
fifty -four. The whole of the missing fell into the hands of the 
enemy — whose loss was excessively severe, but particularly in 
officers. One hundred prisoners, mostly of the 49th, were cap- 
tured, and transported to Fort George. Captain Manners, of that 
regiment, was taken in his bed, by Lieutenant Riddle, who, 
from a principle of humanity, put him on his parole, on condition 
of his not serving the enemy, until he should be exchanged. 
An engagement which that officer violated by appearing in arms 
against the American troops, immediately after the recovery of 
his health. 

In the course of the morning, the British sent a flag of truce, 
to obtain permission to bury their dead, and to remove their 
wounded. The latter, however, had been placed in the neigh- 
bouring houses, under the care of the American surgeons, and 
the army having given up the pursuit of the enemy, had fallen 

p2 



174 BATTLE OF FOr^TY MILE CREEK. 



back to Forty Mile Creek, being about ten miles in the rear of 
the field of battle. Here it encamped, on a plain of a mile in 
width, its right flank on the lake, its left on a creek, skirting the 
base of a perpendicular mountain, and was joined on the same 
evening, by a detachment of the 6th and 15th regiments, and a 
park of artillery under Colonel James Miller. On the 7th, 
Generals Lewis and Boyd arrived at the encampment, and the 
former assumed the command. 

Intelligence had been immediately forwarded by General 
Vincent, to Sir James L. Yeo, then commanding the British 
fleet on Lake Ontario, of the affair at Stony Creek, and of the 
position at which the Americans had encamped. In the evening 
of the 7th, the fleet appeared within sight of the encampment. 
Its character was not known, however ; but lest an attack might 
be again made upon the army in the niglit, the troops were 
ordered to lay on their arms. At daylight, on the 8th, the enemy's 
squadron .were stationed abreast of the encampment, and within 
one mile of the shore. A large schooner was warped in, and 
opened her fire on the ])oats, which had been employed to trans- 
port the American baggage, and which at that time lay upon the 
beach. Captains Archer and Towson, were ordered down, with 
four pieces of artillery, to resist her attempts to destroy the boats ; 
and Captain Totten, of the engineers, prepared a temporary 
furnace, for heating shot, and had it in operation in less than 
half an hour. The fire of the schooner was then returned with 
such vivacity and eflfect, that she was very soon obliged to retire. 

At this moment, a party of Indians showed themselves upon 
the brow of the mountain, and commenced a fire on the camp. 
General Lewis despatched a party from the 13th regiment, 
under Colonel Christie, to dislodge them, but that service w^as 
performed by his adjutant. Lieutenant Eldridge, who seeing the 
necessity of driving oflf the Indians, had gallantly gained the 
summit of the mountain, with a few volunteers, without orders, 
and repulsed the enemy before Colonel Christie could reach that 
point. Sir James then demanded the surrender of the army, on 
the ground of its having a fleet in its front, a body of savages in 
its rear, and a powerful army of British regulars on its flanks. 
To this demand it was deemed unnecessary to make a reply : but 



GENERAL VINCENT S REPORT. 175 

as General Dearborn had sent an express to call the troops to 
Fort George, upon seeing the British fleet pass that post, General 
Lewis prepared to retire in obedience to this order. The camp 
equipage and baggage were placed in the boats, and were ordered 
to proceed to Fort George, under protection of Colonel Miller's 
command, which was competent to resist any attack which might 
be made — but they put from the shore before the detachment 
came up ; and after proceeding about five miles, were dispersed 
by an armed schooner of the enemy. Twelve of them fell into 
the hands of the British squadron, and the remainder either 
escaped, or ran ashore, and were deserted by their crews. At 
ten o'clock the encampment was broken up, and the troops took 
up their march for Fort George, having the enemy's Indians 
on their flank until they arrived within a short distance of the 
garrison. 

The British fleet continued to cruise in the neighbourhood of 
the. Niagara, and intercepted the supplies for the American army. 
Two vessels, having each a valuable cargo of hospital stores, 
were chased into Eisrhtcen Mile Creek, and after makinof a short 
but obstinate resistance, were carried by boarding, and the stores 
immediately transferred to the enemy's vessels. A party of 
seventy-five men had been forwarded by General Lewis to repel 
the enemy's attack, but did not reach the place in time to prevent 
the capture. 

The official account given by General Vincent of the surprise 
of the encampment, claims a decisive and brilliant victory on the 
side of the British; and announces that the whole body of the 
American troops had been resolutely driven from the field ; but 
the same general was known to have abandoned the command of 
the enterprise as soon as the alarm was given in General Chan- 
dler's encam})ment, and to have consigned its execution to Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Harvey and Majors Ogilvie and Plenderleath, each 
of whom acknowledged a numerous loss of their most valuable 
officers and men. General Vincent's report to his government 
could not, therefore, have been given on his own responsibility. 
On whatever side the victory may have been gained, however, 
great want of knowledge in military movements had been pre- 
viously betrayed by the officers who succeeded to the command 



176 ATTACK ON SACKETT's HARBOUR. 

of the American forces at Little York and Fort George, in suffer- 
ing a beaten enemy to escape from each of those places. At the 
former General Sheaffe and his regulars effected a retreat through 
the palpable tardiness of the victorious army. At the latter, the 
same troops which attacked the encampment at Stony Creek, 
were so closely pressed that they must inevitably have been cap- 
tured, had not the light troops, under Adjutant-General Scott and 
Colonel Miller, been called in from the pursuit. The result of 
these errors was fruitful with the most evil consequences. The 
recapture of all the important posts on the British Niagara, which 
had been taken at the expense of so much blood, and the destruc- 
tion of the orarrisons on the American side of that river, which 
happened not many months after, were among the least pernicious 
of a long train of disasters. A development which can only be 
produced by the gradual lapse of time may enable a future his- 
torian to throw the censure on the proper objects. No discovery 
has yet been made which will allow the present recorder of these 
events to form any other idea than that which is founded on un- 
certainty and conjecture, which do not go to the constitution of 
such an authentic history of the war, as it has been his utmost 
endeavour to compile. 

Whilst the troops were preparing to embark at York for the 
expedition against Fort George, the British at Kingston having 
crained intellio:ence of their absence from Sackett's Harbour, of 
the batteries at that place having been principally dismantled, 
and of the smallness of the force which had been left for its pro- 
tection, hastily collected all their disposables and embarked on 
board their fleet under the command of Sir George Prevost. The 
fleet was commanded by Sir James Yeo. On the night of the 
27th of May, five hours after the capture of Fort George, the 
British appeared off the entrance to the harbour. The American 
1 force consisted of two hundred invalids, and two hundred and 
fifty dragoons, then newly arrived from a long and fatiguing 
march. Two small vessels, under Lieutenant Chauncey, w^ere 
stationed at its mouth and gave instant signals of alarm at the 
approach of the British squadron. Expresses were immediately 
forwarded to General Brown, then at his seat eii^ht miles from 



ATTACK ON SACKETT'S HARBOUR. 



177 




Defense of Sacketl's Harbour. 



the harbour, and he immediately repaired tliither to take the 
command. 

The tour of duty of the militia of his brigade had expired many 
weeks before, but he had been requested by General Dearborn 
to take command of the harbour at any time when the enemy 
should approach it, and to provide for its defense. Immediately 
on his arrival dispositions were made to that effect. The move- 
ments of the enemy indicated his intention to land on the penin- 
sula called Horse island. General Brown, therefore, determined 
on resisting him at the water's edge with the Albany volunteers, 
inider Colonel Mills, and such militia as could be instantly col- 
lected. Alarm guns were therefore fired, and expresses sent out 
for that purpose. Lieutenant-Colonel Backus, of the 1st regi- 

23 



.178 ATTACK ON SACKETT's HARBOUR. 



ment United States dragoons, who commanded at Sackett's 
Harbour in the absence of the officers who had proceeded to Fort 
George, was to form a second Kne with the regulars. The regular 
artillerists were stationed in Fort Tompkins, and the defense of 
Navy Point was committed to Lieutenant Chauncey. 

On the 28th, the Wolfe, the Royal George, the Prince Regent, 
the Earl of Moira, and one brig, two schooners, and two gun- 
boats, with thirty-three flat bottomed boats and barges, containing 
in all twelve hundred troops, appeared in the offing, at five miles 
distance. They were standing their course for the harbour, when, 
havinor discovered a fleet of American bargees, comincr round 
Stony Point, with troops from Oswego, the whole of their boats 
were immediately despatched to cut them offi They succeeded 
in taking twelve of them, after they had been run on shore and 
abandoned by their crews, who arrived at the harbour in the 
night. The remainder, seven in number, escaped from their 
pursuers, and got safely in. 

The British commanders, being then under an impression that 
other barges would be sailing from Oswego, stood into South 
Bay, and despatched their armed boats to waylay them. In this 
they were disappointed ; and during the delay which was caused 
by this interruption of their intended operations, the militia from 
the neighbouring counties collected at the harbour, and l^etrayed 
great eagerness to engage in the contest with the invading enemy. 
They were ordered to be stationed on the water side, near the 
island on which Colonel Mills was posted with his volunteers. 
The strength at that point was nearly five hundred men. But 
the whole force, including the regulars, effectives, and invalids, 
did not exceed one thousand. 

The plan of defense had been conceived with great skill, and 
i f the conduct of the militia had proved to be consistent with 
their promises, it would have been executed with equal abihty. 
Disposed of as the forces were, in the event of General Brown's 
being driven from his position at Horse Island, Colonel Backus 
Avas to advance with his reserve of regulars, and meet the head 
of the enemy's column, whilst the general would rally his corps, 
and Ml upon the British flanks. If resistance to the attack of 
the enemy should still fail, Lieutenant Chauncey was to destroy 



ATTACK ON SACKETT's HARBOUR. 179 

the stores at Navy Point, and to retire with iiis two schooners, 
and the prize schooner, the Duke of Gloucester, which had been 
a few weeks before captured from the enemy, to the south shore 
of the bay, and east of Fort Volunteer. In this fort the regulars 
and militia were to shut themselves up, and make a vigorous 
stand, as their only remaining resort. Every thing being thus 
ordered. General Brown directed his defensive army to lay upon 
their arms, whilst he continued personally to reconnoiter the 
shores of the harbour, during the whole night of the 28th. At 
the only favourable point of landing, he had caused a breastwork 
to be thrown up, and a battery en barbette, to be erected. Behind 
this most of the militia were stationed. 

At the dawn of the 29th, the enemy was discovered with his 
vessels drawn up in line, between Horse Island and Stony 
Point ; and in a few minutes all his boats and barges approached 
the shore under cover of his gun-boats, those being the heaviest 
of his vessels, which, in consequence of the lightness of the wind 
could be brought up. The troops with which the boats were 
filled, were commanded by Sir George Prevost in person. Com- 
modore Yeo directed the movements of the barges. General 
Brown instantly issued his orders, that the troops should lie 
close, and reserve their fire until the enemy should have ap- 
proached so near that every shot might take effect. This order 
was executed, and the fire was so destructive, that the enemy's 
advance boats were obliged to make a temporary pause, and 
numbers of their officers and men were seen to fall. 

Encouraged by the desired effect of the first fire, the militia 
loaded their pieces with the utmost quickness, and the artillery 
was ordered to be opened at the moment of their second. But, 
before the second round had been completely discharged, the 
whole body of the militia, none of whom had ever seen an enemy 
until now, and who were entirely unaccustomed to subordination, 
though they were w^ell protected by the breastwork, rose from 
behind it, and abandoning those honourable promises of noble 
daring which they had made but a little while before, they fled 
with equal precipitation and disorder. A strange and unaccount- 
able panic seized the whole line, and with the exception of a 
very few, terror and dismay were depicted in every countenance. 



180 ATTACK ON SACKETT's HARBOUR. 



Colonel Mills, vainly endeavouring to rally his men, vv^as killed 
as he was reminding them of the solemn pledges which they had 
given ; hut the fall of this hrave officer served rattier to increase 
their confusion than to actuate them to revenge it. 

General Brown seeing that his plan was already frustrated, and 
fearing his inability to execute any other, without the vigorous 
co-operation of the militia, hastened to intercept their retreat, and 
finding one company of about one hvmdred men, who had been 
rallied by the active and zealous conduct of Captain M'Nitt of 
that corps, he bi'ought them up and ordered them to form in line 
with the regulars and volunteers who had continued to keep their 
ground. 

In the interval which had thus elapsed, the enemy had effected 
his debarkation with little opposition, and drawing up his whole 
force on Horse island, he commenced his march for the village ; 
on the road to which he was met by a small party of infantry, 
under Major Aspinwall, and a few dismounted dragoons under 
Major Laval, who opposed him with much gallantry. Two of 
the gun-boats ranged up the shore and covered the fi.eld with 
grape. This handful of troops then gradually retired in good 
order from an immense superiority of numbers, and occupied the 
intervals between the barracks. 

lEUTENANT-COLONEL BACKUS,with 
his reserve of regulars, first engaged the 
enemy, when the militia company of Captain 
M'Nitt w^as formed on his flank, and in the 
vigorous fight which then«followed, this com- 
pany behaved with as much gallantry as the 
bravest of the regulars. The whole force was compelled to fall 
back, however, by the superior strength of the enemy's column, 
and resorting to the barracks for what shelter they could afford, 
they posted themselves in the unprotected log-houses and kept 
up an incessant and effective fire. From these, the most violent 
assaults, and the repeated and varying efforts of the British were 
incompetent to dislodge them. Colonel Gray, the quartermaster- 
general of the enemy's forces, advanced to the weakest part of 
the barracks at the head of a column of regulars, and after ex- 




DESTRUCTION OF THE BARRACKS. 



183 



changing shots with an inferior party of mihtia and regulars, led 
his men on to the assault. A small boy, who was a drummer in 
Major Aspinwall's corps, seized a musket and leveling it at the 
colonel, immediately brought him to the ground. At that mo- 
ment Lieutenant Fanning of the artillery, who had been so 
severely wounded by the explosion at Little York, and was yet 
considered to be unable to do any kind of duty, leaned upon his 
piece whilst it was drawn up, and having given it the proper 
elevation, discharged three rounds of grape into the faces of the 
enemy, who immediately fell back in disorder. At this instant 
Lieutenant-Colonel Backus fell severely wounded. 

Whilst the battle was raging with its greatest violence, infor- 
mation was brought to Lieutenant Chauncey of the intention of 
the American forces to surrender. He therefore, in conformity 
to his previous orders relating to such an event, fired the navy 
barracks, and destroyed all the property and public stores which 
had previously belonged to the harbour, as well as the provisions 
and equipments which had been brought from York. The de- 
struction of these buildings, and the conflagration which was 
thence produced, was thought to have been caused by the troops 
of the enemy, and although the undisciplined militia and volun- 
teers, and the invalid regulars, were suspicious of being placed 
between the fire of two divisions of the enemy, they continued to 
fight on regardless of their inferiority, or the consequences of 
their capture. 

General Brown was all tliis time actively superintending the 
operations of his little army. He now determined on making a 
diversion in its favour, which, if it should be successful, would 
be the only means of saving the place, or of relieving his exhausted 
troops. Having learned that the militia who had fled from their 
stations in the early part of the engagement had not yet entirely 
dispersed, and that they were still within a short distance of the 
scene of action, he hastened to exhort them to imitate the conduct 
of their brave brethren in arms. He reproached them with 
shameful timidity, and ordered them instantly to form and follow 
him, and threatened with instant death the first man who should 
refuse. His order was obeyed with alacrity. He then attempted 
a stratagem by which to deceive the enemy with regard to the 



184 



RETREAT OF THE BRITISH. 




Retreat of the British from Sackett's Harbour. 



forces against which he was contending. Silently passing through 
a distant wood which led toward the place at which the enemy 
had landed, General Brown persuaded the British general of his 
intention to gain the rear of his forces, to take possession of the 
boats and effectually to cut off their retreat. 

This was done ^vith such effect, at the moment when the fire 
of Lieutenant Fanning's piece had caused the destruction in the 
British line, that General Sir George P revest was well convinced 
of the vast superiority of the American force to his own. He gave 
up all thoughts of the capture of the place, and hurrying to his 
boats, put off immediately to the British squadron. He was not 
pursued, because if the real number of the American troops had 
been exposed to his view, he would have returned to the contest, 



LOSSES AT SACKETT's HARBOUR. 185 

might easily have outflanked, and in all human probability would 
still have captured the army and the village. 

But the precipitation of his flight was such, that he left not 
only the wounded bodies of his ordinary men upon the field, but 
those of the dead and wounded of his most distinguished officers. 
Among these were Quartermaster-General Gray, Majors Moodie 
and Evans, and three captains. The return of his loss, as accu- 
rately as it has been ascertained, amounted to three field officers, 
one captain, and twenty-five rank and file found dead on the field; 
two captains and twenty rank and file found wounded ; and two 
captains, one ensign, and thirty-two rank and file made prisoners. 
In addition to which, many were killed in the boats, and num- 
bers had been carried away previously to the retreat. The loss 
of the Americans was greater in proportion, as the number of 
their men engaged were less. One colonel of volunteers, twenty 
regulars, privates, and one volunteer private were killed ; one 
lieutenant-colonel, three lieutenants, and one ensign of the regu- 
lars, and seventy-nine non-commissioned ofiicers and privates were 
w^ounded; and twenty-six non-commissioned officers and privates 
were missing. Their aggregate loss was one hundred and ten 
regulars, twenty-one volunteers, and twenty-five militia ; making 
a total of one hundred and fifty-six. It was severe, because of the 
w^orth, more than of the number of those who fell. The injury 
in public stores sustained at Sackett's Harbour, though not by 
any act of the invading enemy, was extensive ; but the gallantry 
of several individuals prevented its being more so. Lieutenant 
Chauncey was no sooner apprized of the error of the report which 
had been brought to him, than he made every exertion to save as 
much of the public property as it w^as possible to rescue from the 
increasing conflacrration, and to that effect he ran the Fair Arne- 
rican and the Pert up the river. The new frigate, the General 
Pike, which was then on the stocks, was saved ; and Lieutenant 
Talman, of the army, at the imminent risk of his life, boarded 
the prize schooner the Duke of Gloucester, which was then on 
fire with a considerable quantity of powder in her hold, extin- 
guished the fire and brought her from under the flames of the 
storehouses. 

Notwithstanding this signal repulse, the British commanding 

0.2 24 



186 GENERAL PREVOST's REPORT. 



officers attempted to play off the stratagem which Sir James Yeo 
afterwards adopted at the Forty Mile Creek. They sent in a flag 
Avith a peremptory demand for the formal surrender of the post, 
Avhich was as peremptorily refused. After a forced march of 
forty miles in one day, Lieutenant-Colonel Tuttle had arrived 
with his command of about six hundred men, just a8 the British 
were retreating to their boats, and was therefore too late to par- 
ticipate in the action. Other reinforcements w^ere continually 
expected, and the harbour would be in a situation to make a 
more Adgorous, though not perhaps, a more brilliant defense. The 
return of the enemy, even under the advantages of more favour- 
able winds, was, therefore, not looked for with any apprehension. 
A second flag was received by General Brown, accompanied by 
a request that the killed and wounded of the British might be 
treated with respect. In answer to which, the most satisfactory 
assurances of compliance were given. 

After being compelled to relinquish the further prosecution of 
an expedition, having for its primary object the capture and de- 
struction of a post, the permanent possession of which only could 
give to the Americans any hope of a superiority on Lake Ontario ; 
after having succeeded in his enterprise in a degree which scarcely 
deserves to be termed partial ; and after being obliged, by the 
predominance of his apprehension over his bravery and foresight, 
to retire from the assault and precipitately to leave his dead and 
wounded to the mercy of his enemy, General Sir George P re- 
vest issued an official account to the people of Canada and for- 
w^arded despatches to his government, in each of wdiich he laid 
claim to a brilliant and unparalleled victory, and alleged that he 
had reluctantly ordered his troops to leave a beaten enemy whom 
he had driven before him for three hours, because the co-opera- 
tion of the fleet and army could not l)e effected. 

General Brown's stratagem had so far succeeded in deceiving 
him, that he reported the woods to have been filled with infantry 
and field-pieces, from which an incessant, heavy and destructive 
fire had been kept up, by a numerous and almost invisible foe, 
more than quadruple in numbers to the detachments which had 
been taken from the garrison at Kingston ; and that his loss was, 
nevertheless, very far inferior to that of his antagonist Private 



REFLECTIONS. 187 



letters, however, which were, about the same time, written from 
officers of these detachments, after relating that Colonel Gra}^ 
and two other officers had been killed, and that Majors Evans, 
Drummond, and Moodie, and several captains and snljalterns- 
had been wounded, admitted that their total loss amounted to 
upwards of one hundred and fifty. 

Had the result of the expedition against Sackett's Ilarljour 
assimilated itself to that character of unparalleled brilliancy, whicli 
would have entitled it to the encomiums of its commander, and 
to the warmest admiration of the British nation, its effects would 
have been long and deplorably felt by the American government. 
Immense quantities of naval and military stores, which had been 
from time to time collected at that depot ; the frames and tim- 
bers which had been prepared for the construction of vessels of 
war, and the rigging and armaments which had been forwarded 
thither for their final equipment, as well as all the army clotliing, 
camp equipage, provisions, ammunitions, and implements of war, 
which had been previously captured from the enemy, would 
have again fallen into his hands. The destruction of the bat- 
teries, the ship then on the stocks, the extensive cantonments, 
and the public arsenal, would have retarded the building of 
another naval force, and that which w^as already on the lake in 
separate detachments, could have been intercepted, in its attempt 
to return, and might have been captured in detail. The prize 
vessel which was then lying in the harbour, and which had 
been taken by the Americans, and the two United States' 
schooners, w^ould have been certainly recaptured, and the whole 
energies of the American government, added to their most 
vigorous and unwearied struggles, might never again have 
attained any prospect of an ascendency on the lake. As it 
proved, however, all these impending evils were repelled, and 
the wisdom of the commanding officer, and the invincible firm- 
ness of those of his troops, who w-ithstood the brunt of the action, 
converted that event into a splendid victory, which would other- 
have been an irretrievable disaster. 



188 



CAPTURE OF THE LADY MURRAY. 





CHAPTER X. 

HE increasing indisposition of General 
Dearborn having- rendered him unfit for 
)Jj active duty, he resigned the command of 
the northern army, and retired to his resi- 
dence. General Lewis had repaired to 
Sackett's Harbour, to act in concert with 
i^^ I Commodore Chauncey, who had returned 
to that place, and was making active pre- 
parations to restore the batteries and 
buildings to their former condition. The command of Fort 
George and the dependencies of that place and Fort Niagara, 
devolved on General Boyd. 

On the 14th of June, Lieutenant Chauncey was ordered to 
proceed in the Lady of the Lake, to cruise off Presque isle, and 
to intercept the enemy's transport vessels. On the 16th he fell 
in with, and captured the British schooner the Lady Murray, 
then bound from Kingston to York, with an English ensio-n, 
and fifteen non-commissioned officers and privates. She was 
loaded with provisions, powder, shot, and fixed ammunition, 
and was brought into Sackett's Harbour on the 18th. Her crew 
consisted of six m.en. 

On the same day the British fleet appeared before the town 
of Sodus, on the bay of that name, which is formed on the 
American side of Lake Ontario, between Gennessee and Oswew 



THE BURNING OF SODUS. 189 



rivejs. General Burnet, of the New York militia, siispectincr 
that they intended to land their troops, and capture a quantity 
of provisions, ordered out a regiment from the county of Ontario. 
The militia collected in great haste, and arrived at Sodus on the 
following morning. But the enemy, well knowing that his ap- 
pearance would excite the alarm of the inhabitants, drew off his 
forces until their apprehensions should be subsided, and reap- 
peared in the evening of the 19th, a few^ hours after the militia 
had been discharged. 

In contemplation of his return, the inhabitants had removed 
all the public stores from the buildings on the water's edge, to 
a small distance in the woods, and on the reappearance of the 
hostile squadron, a second alarm was immediately given, and 
expresses sent after the discharged militia, which overtook and 
brought them back, with a large reinforcement. Before their 
return, the enemy had landed, and finding that the provisions 
had been removed, they set fire to all the valuable buildings in 
the town, and destroyed most of the private property of every 
description. They then agreed to stipulate with the inhabitants, 
to desist from destroying the remaining houses, on condition of 
their surrendering the flour and provisions, which they knew had 
been deposited at that place. These articles were then not more 
than two hundred yards from the village, yet the enemy did not 
choose to attempt their capture, lest he might be drawn into an 
ambuscade ; but he threatened the entire destruction of every 
house in the town, if they were not immediately delivered over 
to him. The appearance of the militia prevented the execution 
of this threat, and the enemy immediately returned to his ship- 
ping, and moved up the lake on the following morning. 

On the 20th of June the whole fleet approached Oswego, and 
made several attempts to land their troops, but they returned 
each time to their shipping, upon seeing that the troops at that 
place were prepared to meet them. The American force at that 
time consisted of eight hundred militia and a small party of 
regulars, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Carr, by whose 
skilful management the enemy were persuaded that the port 
was garrisoned by a numerous body of troops, and they became 
extremely cautious in their operations. Fearful of being over- 



190 



COLONEL BOERSTLER's EXPEDITIO 



N. 




powered, they relinquished their intention of landing, and \yitli- 
drew from before the place. Lieutenant Wolsej, of the Oneida, 
and other naval officers and seamen, were at Oswego, and had 
previously removed the stores from that place to Sackett's Har- 
bour. The fleet then proceeded to the neighbourhood of Fort 
George, were it lay for several days. 

FEW days previous to the departure of 
General Dearborn from that post, a body 
of the enemy had collected on a high 
ground about eight miles from Queenstown, 
for the purpose of procuring supplies and 
of harassing those inhabitants wdio were 
considered to be friendly to the United 
States. On the 28th, a party of troops, consisting of five hun- 
dred infantry, a squadron of dragoons, a company of New York 
mounted volunteers, and Captain M'Dowell's corps of light artil- 
lery, being in all about six hundred men, under command of 
Colonel Boerstler, were detached from the American encampment 
at Fort George for the purpose of cutting off the supplies of the 
enemy, and of breaking up their encampment at the Beaver 
Dams. The British force which was stationed there was com- 
posed of one company of the 104th regiment, about two hundred 
militia, and sixty Indians, amounting to three hundred and forty 
men. 

At about eio:ht o'clock on the mormno; of the 24th, nine miles 
west of Queenstown, the American detachment was attacked from 
an ambuscade. The action commenced with the dragoons, who 
were placed in the rear. The infantry was instantly brought into 
a position to return the enemy's fire to advantage, and very soon 
after drove them a considerable distance into the woods. The 
Indians then made a circuitous route, appeared in front, and 
opened a fire upon the mounted riflemen who were stationed 
there. They were immediately repulsed and again retired to the 
woods. Every attempt was then made to draw them into the 
open ground, but without effect. A few of the boldest of them 
ventured from their lurking-places, but were immediately com- 
pelled to fly to them again for shelter. The enemy's force was 



SURRENDER OF BOERSTLER. 191 

HOW continually augmentmg, and he was every instant gaining 
a superiority. A retreat was then ordered for a short distance, 
which was effected with trifling loss. Colonel Boerstler, suspect 
ing that he was surrounded by a very superior and numerous 
force, despatched an express to General Dearborn for reinforce- 
ments, and informed him of his intention to maintain his position 
until they should arrive. Colonel Christie was ordered to proceed 
immediately with the 15th regiment and a company of artillery 
to the support of Colonel Boerstler, but he had not proceeded 
farther than Queenstown when he was informed that the latter 
had surrendered his detachment. 

The express had scarcely been forwarded when Lieutenant 
Fitzgibbon, who commanded the British militia and Indians, rode 
up to Colonel Boerstler with a flag, and informed him on the 
honour of a British soldier, that the regular force commanded by 
Lieutenant-Colonel Bishop was double that of the American, and 
that the Indians were at least seven hundred in number. Colonel 
Boerstler, trusting to the veracity of the officer, fearing the im- 
practicability of escaping, and being unwilling to abandon his 
wounded, agreed to terms of capitulation, by which the wounded 
were to be treated with the utmost tenderness, the officers to be 
permitted to wear their side-arms, private property to be respected, 
and the volunteers to be paroled and permitted to return to their 
homes. 

Lieutenant-Colonel Bishop was not on the ground at the time 
when this capitulation was effected, as the British lieutenant had 
asserted on his honour, but arrived there in time to confirm the 
articles of surrender. These were no sooner agreed upon than 
they were violated. The officers being deprived of their side- 
arms for the gratification of the Indians, who robbed them also 
of their coats, and whatever ornaments of dress they coveted. No 
])ossible account of the number of killed or wounded, on either 
side, could be obtained. Colonel Boerstler was slightly wounded, 
and Captain Machesney of the 6th, severely, in repelling the 
attack of the Indians. 

Colonel Christie returned to Fort George with information of 
tliis disaster, and the British forces moved down upon Queens- 
town, occupied that place and its neighbourhood, and in a few 



192 



ATTACK UPON OUTPOSTS. 




days afterwards invested the American camp, having been pre- 
viously joined by all the British forces from the head of the lake. 
General Vincent was stationed at Burlington Heights with a 
small force, and General De Rottenburg lay encamped at the Ten 
Mile creek. 

The New York mounted volunteers 
were detained at the head of the lake, 
in violation of the article which pro- 
vided for their parole. On the 12th 
they were ordered to Kingston, to be 
kept there as prisoners of w^ir. They 
w^ere for this purpose embarked in 
tw^o boats, under a guard of men, and 
a lieutenant. When within twelve 
miles of York, they rose upon the 
guard, and after a struggle of a few 
minutes, carried both boats, and shaped their course for Fort 
Niagara. After rowing nearly all night, and escaping from an 
enemy's schooner, with great difficulty, they arrived safely with 
their prisoners. In effecting this daring escape. Major Chapin, 
who commanded the volunteers, gave the signal to his men, by 
knocking down the British lieutenant, and personally encoun- 
tering two of his soldiers, whom he fortunately subdued, and 
kept in restraint until the second boat lay along side of him. 

Succeeding this event, several affairs of outposts took place, 
which, though not quite so important in their consequences, 
were equally as brilliant as any of the occurrences which had 
previously transpired on the Niagara frontier. Among them 
was a severe skirmish, brought on by an attack which had been 
made upon Uvo of the outposts, of the American encampment 
at Fort George, on the 8th of July, by the combined force of the 
British and Indians. It had no sooner commenced, than adjutant 
Lieutenant Eldridge, of the 13th, was ordered to the support of 
the outposts, with a small detachment of thirty-nine men ; whilst 
a larger body was preparing to follow him, under the command 
of Major Malcom. 

The impetuosity of Lieutenant Eldridge led him into a thick 
wood, ^vhere a superior force of the British and Indians lay in 



I\rASSACRE OF ELDRIDGE's PARTY- 193 

ambush, and after an obstinate, but fruitless struggle, his party 
were entirely defeated, five only out of the whole number es- 
caping. Thirteen were killed or wounded, and the remainder 
taken prisoners. At the first onset, the enemy was repulsed ; but 
at the second, he pressed upon, and surrounded the little party, 
wath the whole of his numerous force. All the prisoners, includ- 
ing the wounded, were then inhumanly murdered, and their 
persons treated m so barljarous a manner, that the most temperate 
recital of the enemy's conduct may, perhaps, scarcely obtain 
belief The feelings of the most obdurate reader, of a much 
more distant period, cannot but be excited to the highest degree 
of indignation, and those of the writer are not at all to be envied, 
when necessity obliges him to describe the sufferings of his 
countrymen, by the relation of facts which stand too well 
authenticated before him. The same enemy who had not long 
ago implored the mercy of the American officer, to be extended 
to his British prisoners, now fell upon the defenseless captives 
of this party, and scalped their heads whilst they were yet alive, 
split open their skulls with their tomahawks, tore the hearts out 
of their bodies, and stal)bed, and otherwise mutilated them. 
Lieutenant Eldridge was supposed to have experienced the 
same treatment. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood having 
informed the garrison that he had iDcen led, wounded, into the 
woods, between two Indians, a flag was sent out on the next 
day to ascertain his fate, which soon after returned with an 
answer, that Lieutenant Eldridge having killed one of the Lidian 
chieftains, the warriors of his tribe had retaliated this supposed 
act of treachery, by putting him to instant death. But this 
reply was ascertained to have been a subterfuge of the enemy, 
to evade the necessity of accounting for a prisoner who was 
known to have been taken alive. 

The commission of this, and other outrages of the same nature 
by the enemy, at length induced the American commander. 
General Boyd, to receive a party of the Seneca and Tuscorora 
tribes into the service of the United States, by way of intimi- 
dating tlie British and Lidians, and of preventing a recurrence 
of their barbarities. Shortly after they had rendezvoused at 
Fort George, and had covenanted not to scalp or murder any of 



25 



194 



INDIAN ALLIANCE. 




Young Cornplanter. 



the enemy's prisoners, who might fall into their hands, they 
were joined to a party of volunteers, and sent to cut off one of 
the outposts of the enemy, whose principal encampment was 
upwards of two miles from the fort. The American Indians 
w^ere commanded by Major Henry O'Ball, or Young Corn- 
planter, who succeeded in capturing and bringing in twelve of 
the British Indians, and four of their white troops, with a loss 
of only two Indians killed. 

The army at Fort George was at this time in a state of inac- 
tivity — a war of outposts only being carried on, which, though 
resulting in various success, was of use to the undisciplined 
divisions of the encampment. 

On the mornino; of the 11th of Julv, a British rej^ular force 
crossed the Niagara, below Black Rock, and moved up, wdth 
great rapidity, to the attack of that post. The militia who were 
stationed there immediately fled in considerable numbers, a few 
of them, however, stood their ground, and emerging from a 
wood, at seventy yards distance from the enemy, annoyed him 
very severely. But this annoyance was not regarded by the 
British, who entered the place, set fire to the barracks, the block- 
house, and other buildings, spiked several pieces of cannon, and 



EXPEDITION TO THE ST. LAWRENCE. 197 



took off a quantity of provisions. Whilst carrying- the property 
to their boats, they were attacked by a force of regulars, militia, 
and a few^ Indians who poured upon them a very destructive 
hre. The enemy's force amounted to two hundred and fifty men 
— nine of whom, and a captain (Sanders) of the 41st, were left 
upon the shore. The force which was brought against them 
was precisely equal to their own. They retired partially to their 
boats, and in putting off from the shore, lost upwards of fifty, in 
killed and wounded. Among the latter was Lieutenant-Colonel 
Bishop, mortally. 

On the 17th, a small expedition of volunteers, and about forty 
soldiers, left Fort George in two small row-boats, proceeded to 
the head of the St. Lawrence, and captured a gun-boat mounting 
one twenty-four-pounder, fourteen batteaux loaded with property, 
and four officers and sixty-one men. 

On the same day an outwork of the American garrison, was 
attacked by two hundred British and some Indians. Colonel 
Scott was sent out to oppose them. He took one field-piece into 
an open field, and assisted by Lieutenant Smith, after a contest 
of one hour, succeeded in driving off the enemy. Majors Arm- 
strong, Cummings, Captains Towson, Madison, Vandalsem, and 
Birdsall, the former of whom was wounded, w^re also ac- 
tively engaged. The American loss amounted to four killed, and 
as many wounded. 

Besides the militia, under Major Chapin, who had been cap- 
tured at the Beaver Dams, several parties of regulars made pri- 
soners at the same place, also effected their escape, in consequence 
of the refusal of the enemy to parole them. On the 27th, a laro-e 
boat arrived at Fort George, with one lieutenant and eight Ca- 
nadian militia, wdio had been taken by three United States reo-u- 
lars and five New York militiamen, as the former were conductino- 

o 

them to Kingston. About the same time, a boat with fourteen 
of Colonel Boerstler's men and two of the enemy, arrived from 
New York. They communicated intelligence of the severe treat- 
ment which the American prisoners experienced there, and Gene- 
ral Boyd and Commodore Chauncey determined on an expedition 
to that place. 

On the 28th, Commodore Chauncey sailed with Colonel Scott 



r2 



198 CAPTURE OF THE GROWLER AND EAGLE. 



and about three hundred men. They landed at York, captured 
or destroyed the pubhc property and stores of the enemy, and 
after burning the barracks, which had been spared at the capture 
of that place in April, under an impression that their liberality 
w^ould be appreciated by the enemy, they re-embarked, and re- 
turned unmolested to Fort George, bringing with them all the 
sick and wounded of Colonel Boerstler's men, whom they could 
find. 

A few weeks preceding this affair, the United States armed 
vessels, the Growler and Eagle, were captured after a desperate 
engagement of three hours and a half, with a number of British 
gun-boats, and detachments from the garrison at Isle aux Noix. 
The action took place near Ash Island, on the river Sorelle, or 
Richelieu, or that part of Lake Ghamplain which empties into 
the St Lawrence. The schooners were commanded by Lieutenant 
Sidney Smith, and were the only armed vessels, excepting a few 
gun-boats, and small barges, wdiich constituted the American 
naval force on Lake Ghamplain. Their capture, therefore, gave 
the enemy the entire ascendency on that lake. The British 
stated their loss at three men wounded. The loss on board the 
schooners w^as one killed and eight wounded. 

Availing themselves of the advantages thus gained, the British 
equipped and refitted the captured vessels, and cruised along the 
shores of Lake Ghamplain, committing every species of depre- 
dation upon the property of the inhabitants. On the 30th of 
July, they crossed the line at Ghamplain with two sloops of war, 
three gun-boats, and forty batteaux, having on board a force of 
fourteen hundred men. On the 31st, they arrived, and landed 
at Plattsburg. The militia wTre immediately called out, but not 
more than three hundred collected, and there is no account of 
their having shown any kind of resistance to the invaders. The 
British troops, who were commanded by Golonel Murray, assured 
the inhabitants of Plattsburg that their private property should 
be respected. But after destroying the l)lock-house, the arsenal, 
the armory, the public hospital, and the military cantonment, 
they wantonly burned several private storehouses, and carried 
off immense quantities of the stock of individuals. On the 1st 
of August they embarked, and stood out of the bay. Thence 



MANOEUVERING OF THE FLEETS. 199 

they proceeded to the town of Swanton, in Vermont, landed a 
part of their force, and committed several outrages of the same 
character. 

^^^ The American and British fleets, 

§now well appointed and equipped, 
were both on Lake Ontario. Commo- 
dore Chauncey being within sight of 
Fort George, and Sir James Yeo sail- 



ijp^^ ing in that direction, on the 7th of 
^ " ---'^^H August they came within sight of each 
other. The British ileet consisted of six sail, the American of 
twelve, the majority of them being very small. Commodore 
Chauncey immediately weighed anchor, and manoeuvered to gain 
the wind. Having passed the leeward of the enemy's line, and 
being abreast of his van ship, the Wolfe, he fired a few guns to 
ascertain whether he could reach the hostile fleet. The shot fall- 
ing short, the commodore wore, and hauled upon a wind on the 
starboard tack ; the rear of his schooners being then about six 
miles astern. The British commodore wore also, and hauled 
upon a wind, on the same tack, but observing that the American 
fleet Avould be able to weather him on the next, he tacked again 
and made all sail to the northward. Commodore Chauncey pur- 
sued him. 

The chase continued until night ; the schooners could not get 
up, and a signal was given to give up the pursuit and to form in 
close order. At midnight two of the schooners were missing, 
which were afterwards found to be the Hamilton and the 
Scourge, both of which had overset and sunk in a heavy squall. 
Sixteen men only escaped drowning. The fleet lost by this un- 
fortunate accident two excellent officers. Lieutenant Winter and 
Sailingmaster Osgood, a number of fine seamen, and nineteen 
guns. The enemy then gained a great superiority. On the 
morning of the 8th he was discovered bearing up with an inten- 
tion of bringing the Americans to action. Commodore Chauncey 
then directed the schooners to sweep up and engage him. When 
the van of the schooners was within one mile and a half of the 
enemy, he bore up for the schooners in order to cut them off", but in 
this he did not succeed. He then hauled his wind and hove- too. 



200 ACTION ON LAKE ONTARIO. 

A squall coming on, and Commodore Chauncey being appre 
hensive of separating from the heavy sailing schooners he ran 
the squadron in towards Niagara, and anchored outside the bar. 
Here he received on board from Fort George, one hundred and 
fifty soldiers, and distributed them through the fleet to act as 
marines. Before twelve o'clock on the morning of the 9th, dis- 
covered the enemy's fleet, and stood for him, and after mana'-uver- 
ing until eleven o'clock, at times pursuing him, and being pursued 
by him, the rear of the line opened its fire on him. In fifteen 
minutes the fire became general on both sides. 

At half-past eleven the weather line bore up and passed to the 
leeward, except the Growler and Julia, which soon after tacked 
to the southward, and brought the British between them and the 
remainder of the American fleet, which then edged aw^ay to 
engage the enemy to more advantage, and to lead him from the 
Growler and Julia. Sir James Yeo having separated the two 
vessels from the squadron, exchanged a few shot, in passing, with 
the General Pike, (Commodore Chauncey 's ship,) without injur- 
ing her, and pursued the schooners. A firing commenced be- 
tween them, and w^as continued until one o'clock on the morning 
of the 10th, when the schooners surrendered, and the fleets lost 
sight of each other. Soon after daylight they again became visi- 
ble ; but no disposition l^eing shown by the enemy to come down 
on Commodore Chauncey, he shortly after ran towards Sackett's 
Harbour to provision the squadron, and arrived there on the 13th. 
About this time Sir George Prevost joined the army, wdiich 
was then investing Fort George, and meditated an attack upon 
the American forces. Captain Fitzgerald of the 49th, assailed an 
outpost on the Niagara, and after gaining the rear of the guard, 
was fired on and charged by Captain Davenport, of the 16th 
United States infantry, who cut his way through Fitzgerald's 
party, rallied his own and made prisoners of ten men. 

At this moment Captain Delano, of the 23d, came up and cap- 
tured Fitzgerald, who was then wounded. The whole line of 
outposts was at this instant attacked and driven in. Captain 
Vandalsem, of the 15th, who commanded the outjiosts upon But- 
ler's road, was cut off by the enemy ; but hastily forming his 
small party, he desperately forced his way through a superior 



AFFAIRS OF OUTPOSTS. 



201 



body, and brought his guard safely into the garrison. The 
British forces gained possession of the town of Newark, and 
skirted the woods opposite Fort George, within gun-shot of the 
American camp. Brigadier-General Williams, who had a few 
days before arrived at that post, advanced from the works with 
his brigade, but after a trifling skirmish, he was ordered back by 
General Boyd, and the troops were directed to act only on the 
defensive. The British soon after retired to their intrenchments, 
which were then about two miles distant. Tlie loss of the gar- 
rison, on this occasion, amounted to thirty, in killed, wounded, 
and missing. The capture of Captain Fitzgerald and his men, 
was the only loss which the enemy is known to have sustained. 
Affairs of outposts, in which the character of the American 
arms was not in the least diminished, were now occurring daily. 
Colonel Brearly, and other oflicers of the different regiments, 
distinguished themselves; and a spirit of emulation pervaded 
the whole American line. Orders had been issued to the senti- 
nels, to permit no one to pass wdthin their chain, without the 
knowledge of the commanding officer. But a British officer, in 
passing from the left to the right of his encampment, having by 
mistake approached the American line, induced a sentinel to 
violate these orders. Thomas Gray, a private of the IStli, who 
at this time happened to be on guard, seeing the error into which 
the enemy's officer was likely to fall, permitted him to enter the 
line of sentinels before he challenged him. When the officer 
immediately surrendered, proved to be Captain Gordon, of the 
Iloyal Scots, and was conducted to General Boyd, who after- 
wards presented the sentinel with a silver cup, engraved with 
inscriptions commemorative of the event by which he had won 
it. The American army sustained about this time, a serious 
loss in the death of Colonel Christie, at Fort George, and of 
Lieutenant-Colonel Tuttle, at Sackett's Harbour — both of whom 
died of severe illness. 



26 



202 



T E C U M S E H. 




Tecumsch. 



CHAPTER XL 



HE combination of the British forces 
on the Niagara, the augmentation which 
they were daily receiving by rein- 
forcements from the interior of Upper 
Canada, and the rumours which were 
thence sent forth of an intended coaH- 
tion between these and the army of 
General Proctor, from Detroit, all con- 
tributed to persuade the American com- 
manders that the enemy had become 
regardless of the defenses of the garrisons of Detroit and Maiden ; 
and that their leading object, for the accomplishment of which 
they had determined to draw together every species of troops 
within the province, was the expulsion of the American forces 
from the Canadian territory. But the vigilance of the com- 
mander-in-chief of the north-western army, enabled him not only 
to discover the enemy's real design, but that their regulars, and 




T E C U ]\I S E H. 203 



a great body of. the Indians, were at that time concealed in the 
neighbourhood of Fort Meigs and Stephenson, and feehng con- 
fident of their expectations that tlie regulars of his army would 
be ordered forward to the aid and co-operation of the army of 
the north ; or, that the militia would be called from a tour of 
duty ; which would thence be deemed unnecessary to perform ; 
General Harrison extended his defensive arrangements, and 
enlarged his forces by new requisitions upon the governors of 
the contiguous state and territory. He was still engaged at his 
head-quarters, at Seneca, in fixing the destination of the new- 
troops, as they arrived, and in distributing them among the 
different posts. 

Fort Meigs w-as placed in an excellent state for vigorous de- 
fense, and active exertions were making to fortify Fort Stephen- 
son. To the entire equipment of the latter, many difficulties 
presented tliemselves, and its situation was considered to be so 
defenseless, that General Harrison directed the commandant to 
destroy the public property, and immediately to abandon the 
fort, if the enemy should at any time appear before it. 

During the month of July, the assembled tribes of Indian 
warriors, under Tecumseh, (who was reported to have then re- 
ceived the commission and emoluments of a brigadier-general,) 
and a considerable force of regulars, under General Proctor, had 
been well trained for an expedition, the object of wdiich was to 
reduce Fort Stephenson, and thence to proceed to a second 
investment of Fort Meigs. Tecumseh was despatched with two 
thousand warriors and a few regulars, to make a diversion favour- 
a])le to the attack of Proctor and Dixon, upon Fort Stephenson. 
He approached Fort Meigs, and kept up a heavy firing at a dis- 
tance, in order to persuade the garrison that an engagement had 
taken place between the Indian forces and a part of General 
Harrison's division. By the arrival at Fort Meigs, of an officer 
from the head-quarters, this scheme was fortunately frustrated ; 
and Tecumseh then approached the garrison, and surrounded it 
with his whole force. 

From Seneca Town scouting parties had been sent out in 
every direction along the shores of Sandusky bay, with instruc- 
tions to keep up a continual communication with the commander- 



204 ATTACK ON FORT STErilENSON. 

in-chief. On the morning of the 1st of Augnst, he ^v-as informed 
of the approach of the enemy to the mouth of the bay ; Fort 
Stephenson, which was situated twenty miles above, evidently 
being their object. Early in the evening, the combined forces, 
consisting of seven hundred Indians, under Dixon, and live 
hundred regulars, under General Proctor, who commanded in 
chief, appeared before the fort. The gun-boats, from which 
they had landed, were at the same time drawn up, to bear upon 
one of its angles. 

General Proctor immediately disposed his troops so as to sur- 
round the garrison, and entirely cut off its retreat. His immense 
superiority of numbers, enabled him to invest it so perfectly, that 
the American troops, whose whole effective force did not amount 
to one hundred and sixty men, had no probable prospect of cut- 
ting their way through, and Major Croghan, who had been pro- 
moted to the command of this post, for his gallant conduct at the 
siege of Fort Meigs, having already disobeyed the orders of the 
commander-in-cliief, by not destroying and abandoning the fort, 
had made arrangements to repel an assault, by cutting a deep 
ditch, and hastily constructing a stockade work around it; and, 
being ably supported by his officers and men, he determined on 
defending the garrison, though he should sell the life of every 
soldier. 

The British general, having completed the disposition of his 
army, attempted to obtain possession of Fort Stephenson by ar- 
tifice. He sent forward a flag by Colonel Elliot, whose character 
is yet in the memory of every reader, accompanied by the same 
Major Chambers who had before demanded the surrender of 
Fort Meigs, and an Indian chief, whose enmity to the Americans 
was violent. This flag was met at a few paces from the garri- 
son, by Ensign Shipp, of the 17th, to whom General Proctor's 
demand of an immediate and unconditional surrender was de- 
livered, and from whom the enemy received Major Croghan's 
answer, of a determination not to yield, but with the loss of all 
his men. Colonel Elliot then attempted to seduce the ensign 
from his duty, by various artifices, which were followed by a 
threatened slaughter of the garrison, on further refusal to sur- 
render. The young American turned from his apostate country- 



DEFENSE OF FORT STEPHENSON. 205 

man, Elliot, with disgust, and was immediately seized upon by 
the Indian chief, who attempted to disarm him. The resistance 
of the ensign, and the interference of Elliot and Chambers, pre- 
vented this outrage, and Major Croghan being apprehensive 
about the safety of his officer, instantly ordered -him to be called 
into the garrison. The enemy then opened his hre from the 
gun-boats and a five and a half inch howitzer, and continued 
the cannonade throuQ'hout the night. 

On the morning of the 2d, three six-pounders were discovered 
to have been planted at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards 
from the stockade, and in a few minutes after, an unsuccessful 
fire was opened upon the fort. The British general feeling his 
inability to annoy the garrison, from the situation in wdiich his 
artillery was then placed, and being convinced that he could 
neither make an impression upon the works, nor ever hope to 
carry them by storm, unless a breach could be made in the 
north-west angle of the fort, ordered all his guns to be directed 
at that point. A rapid fire was kept up against it for several 
hours ; but Major Croghan being aware of his design, detached 
as many men as could be usefully employed, to strengthen that 
angle ; by means of bags of sand, of flour, and other articles, it 
was effectually secured. Under a STipposition that his fire had 
shattered the stockade work, wliich was not at all injured, Ge- 
neral Proctor ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Short to lead up a 
close column of three hundred and fifty regulars, of the 41st 
regiment, to storm the fort at that point, whilst a second column 
should make a feint upon that part of the American line, which 
was commanded by Captain Hunter, of the 17th. This attempt 
to draw the attention of the garrison from the north-west angle 
did not succeed. The troops posted there were ordered to re- 
main hrm ; and when the column, which was advancing against 
them had approached within twenty paces of the lines, before 
which time it was so completely enveloped in smoke as not to 
be ol^served, they opened a heavy and galling fire, which thrcAv 
the advancing party into confusion, and intimidated that which 
Av^as reserved for the attack on the other angle of the fort. The 
British battery, which was then enlarged by two other six- 
pounders, was again opened, and sustained the advance of the 



•206 



DEFENSE OF FORT STEPHENSON. 




Defense of Fort Stephenson. 

two columns, by an incessant, though equally unsuccessful fire 
as the former. Colonel Short rallying his men with great alac- 
rity, again led them up, advanced to the stockade, and springing 
over the pickets, into the ditch, commanded the whole column 
to follow and assault the works with the utmost vigour, but to 
give no quarter to any of the American soldiers. 

T the north-western angle stood a Ijloclv-house, in 
wdiich a six-pounder had been heretofore judi- 
ciously concealed. It was at this instant 
opened, and having previously been pointed 
so as to rake in that situation, a double charge 
of leaden slugs, was fired into tlie ditch, and 
sweeping the whole column, the front of which 
was only thirty feet distant from the piece, killed Colonel Short, 
and almost every man wdio had ventured to oljey liis order. A 
volley of musketry was fired at the same time, and great num- 
bers of the enemy, who had not yet entered the ditch, were 
se V er ely wound ed . 

The officer who succeeded Colonel Sliort in the command of 
the broken column, immediately rallied and formed it anew^, and 
led it on to the same fatal point. A second fire from the de- 
structive six-pounder, was poured upon it, with as much success 




PROMOTION OF MAJOR GROG HAN. 207 

as the first ; and the small arms were discharged so briskly, that 
the enemy's troops were again thrown into confusion, and not all 
the exertions of the British officers could bring them up to another 
assault. They fled precipitately to an adjoining wood, and were 
very soon followed by the Indians. In a few minutes the firing 
entirely ceased ; and an army much more than ten times supe 
rior to a small garrison, was compelled to relinquish an attack, 
the successful issue of which was not at all doubted by any one 
of its officers. 

A strong degree of terror prevailed among the collected forces. 
The Indians were enraged and mortified at this unparalleled 
defeat ; and carrying their dead and wounded from the field, 
they indignantly followed the British regulars to the shipping. 
General Proctor abandoned his wounded, and left the dead 
bodies of his most distinguished officers, among whom was 
Colonel Short, in the ditch. During the night of the 2d, Major 
Croghan received as many of the wounded enemy through the 
port-hole as were able to approach it, and to those who could 
not, he threw out provisions and water. 

On the morning of the 3d, the gun-boat's and transports sailed 
down the bay, and guards of soldiers were immediately after- 
wards sent out to collect and bring into the fort all the wounded, 
and to bury the enemy's dead with all the honours to which, by 
their rank, they were entitled. Seventy stand of arms, several 
braces of pistols, and a boat containing much clothing and mili- 
tary stores, which had been left in the hurry of the enemy's 
flight, were then taken. The loss of the assailants was reported 
to have been not less than one hundred and fifty ; that of the 
garrison was one killed, and seven slightly wounded. 

The brilliancy of this aflair procured for the officers and men 
the thanks of the government, and the unfeigned applause of all 
parties in the Union. Major Croghan was soon after promoted 
to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and was presented with a sword 
by the ladies of Chillicothe. His precaution and activity pre- 
vented a very important, though weak post, from falling into the 
hands of the enemy; and gave a powerful check to their plan of 
operations for the remaining part of the campaign. The com- 
mander-in-chief, whose positive orders he had ventured to dis- 



208 



OFFICERS AT FORT STEPHENSON. 




Colonel Croghan. 

obey, yielded him his warmest approbation, and recommended to 
the early notice of the department of war, a young soldier of 
twenty-one years who had baffled the most ingenious efforts of 
the British general, and had sustained his various assaults for 
thirty six hours. Besides Major Croghan, the garrison contained 
seven officers, all of whom distinguished themselves. Captain 
Hunter was second in command, and resisted the attacks of the 
second British column, as well as of the Indians. Lieutenants 
Johnson, Bayler, and Meeks, of the 17th, and Anthony, of the 
24th, and Ensigns Shipp and Duncan, of the 17th, were stationed 
at different places in the garrison, and acquitted themselves with 
great credit. 

General Harrison had no sooner been apprized of the approach 
of the enemy towards Fort Stephenson, than he sent orders for the 
immediate march of two hundred and fifty volunteers from Upper 
Sandusky, and put in readiness all the infantry at Seneca under 
Generals M' Arthur and Cass. Scouts were instantly forwarded 
to reconnoiter the position of the enemy, but in consequence of 



THE FLEET ON LAKE ERIE. 209 



the strong disposition of the Indian forces they were n nab le to 
approach tiie garrison, and were met by General Harrison and 
his dragoons between Seneca Town and Fort Stephenson. Here 
the retreat of the enemy inider Proctor, and the investment of 
Fort Meigs by Tecumseh, were first heard of; and the general 
directed M' Arthur and Cass to fall back to Seneca Town for the 
protection of the sick and the provisions. But two days after, 
Tecumseh and his Indians followed the steps of Proctor and 
Dixon, and all apprehensions about the safety of the* military hos- 
pitals were therefore removed. 

The American fleet on Lake Erie having been completed, and 
with great difficulty passed over the bar, a principal part of the 
crew of each vessel being made up of the Pennsylvania militia, 
who had volunteered to go on an expedition, sailed on a short 
cruise for the purpose of training the guns and of exercising the 
sailors. In the latter part of August, Commodore Perry pro- 
ceeded to the mouth of Sandusky river, to co-operate with Gene- 
ral Harrison. At this place about seventy volunteer marines 
were received on board, and the fleet sailed in quest of the British 
squadron. The latter was, at that time, near Maiden, before 
which place Commodore Perry appeared, and after reconnoitering 
the enemy, he retired to Put-in-Bay, a distance of thirty miles, 
in hopes of drawing out his antagonist. 

On the morning of the 10th of Septeml:)er, the enemy was dis- 
covered bearing down upon the American squadron, which im- 
mediately got under way and stood out to meet him. The 
superiority of force was greatly in favour of the British, though 
they had not an equal number of vessels. Their crews were 
larger, and the length and number of their guns greater than 
those of the American squadron. Tlie latter consisted of the brip- 
Lawrence, (flag vessel,) of tw-enty guns; the Niagara, Captain 
Elliot, of twenty; the Caledonia, Lieutenant Turner, of three; 
the schooner Ariel, of four; the Scorpion, of two; the Somers, of 
two, and two swivels ; the sloop Trippe, and schooners Tigress 
and Porcupine, of one gun each ; making a fleet of nine vessels, 
of fifty-four guns and two swivels. The British squadron con- 
sisted of the ships Detroit, Commodore Barclay, of nineteen guns 
and two howitzers; the Queen Charlotte, Captain Finnis, of 



27 



210 BATTLE OP LAKE ERIE. 

seventeen and one howitzer ; the schooner Lady Prevost, Lieute- 
nant Buclian, of thirteen and one howitzer ; the brig Hunter, of 
ten ; the sloop Little Belt, of three ; and the schooner Chippewa, 
of one and two swivels ; making a fleet of six vessels and sixty- 
three guns, four howitzers, and two swivels. 

When the American fleet stood out, the British fleet had the 
weather-gage, but at ten o'clock, a. si., the wind shifted and 
brought the American to windward. The line of battle was 
formed at eleven, and at fifteen minutes before twelve the enemy's 
flag ship and the Queen Charlotte opened upon the Lawrence a 
heavy and effectual fire, which she was obliged to sustain up- 
wards of ten minutes, without a possibility of returning it in con- 
sefjuence of her battery being of carronades. She nevertheless 
continued to bear up, and having given a signal to the other ves- 
sels to support her, at a few minutes before twelve opened her 
fire upon the enemy. 

The wind being too light to assist the remainder of the squad- 
ron in coming up, the Lawrence was compelled to fight the 
enemy's heaviest vessels upwards of two hours. The crew were 
not at all depressed ; their animation increased as the desperation 
of the fight became greater, and the guns were w^orked with as 
much coolness and precision as if they had been in the act of 
training only. The slaughter on board the brig was almost un- 
paralleled, the rigging very much injured, and the braces entirely 
shot away ; and at length, after every gun had been rendered 
useless she became quite unmanageable. The first lieutenant, 
Yarnall, was " thrice wounded ; the second lieutenant. Forrest, 
struck in the breast ; the gallant Lieutenant Brookes, of the ma- 
rines, and Midshipman Laub were killed, and Sailingmaster 
Taylor, Purser Hamilton, and Midshipmen Claxton and Swart- 
wout, wounded. Her loss already amounted to twenty-two killed, 
and sixty-one wounded : when the commodore, seeing that she 
must very soon strike, if the other vessels were not brought up, 
gave up the command of the Lawrence to Lieutenant Yarnall. 
and jumphig into a boat, ordered it to be steered for the Niagara, 
to which vessel he had determined to shift his flag. In passing 
from the Lawrence to the Niagara, he stood up, waving his 
sword, and gallantly cheering his men, imder a shower of balls 



CAPTURE OF THE BRITISH FLEET. 213 

and bullets. He gained the Niagara unhurt, at the moment the 
flao: of the Lawrence came down ; and the w4nd having^ at that 
instant increased, he brought her into action, and at forty-five 
minutes past two, gave signal for the wdiole fleet to close. 

All the vessels were now^ engaged, but as the superiority of 
the enemy had been increased by the loss of the Lawrence, the 
commodore determined on piercing his line with the Niagara. 
He therefore resolutely bore up, and passing ahead of the Detroit, 
Queen Charlotte, and Lady Prevost, poured a galling and de- 
structive fire into each, from his starboard side, and into the 
Chippewa and Little Belt, from his larboard. He was then 
within half pistol-shot, and as he cut through the line, the com- 
mander of the Lady Prevost, a brave officer, wdio had distin- 
guished himself at the battle of the Nile, received a musket-ball 
in the face, and the crew being unable to stand the fire, imme- 
diately ran below. At this moment the Caledonia was struggling 
to get closer into the action, and her commander. Lieutenant 
Turner, ordered her guns to be fired through the foresail, which 
interfered between him and the enemy, rather than lose the 
chance of a full share in the combat, and was only prevented 
from attempting to board the Detroit, by the prudent refusal of 
the officer of another small vessel, to assist him. 

The action was now^ raging with its utmost violence ; every 
broadside fired with the most exact precision, and the result of 
the conflict altoQ-ether uncertain. In addition to the loss of the 
Lawrence's guns, one of the Ariel's had bursted, and the enemy 
had then the superiority of thirty-four guns. This doubtful 
aspect, however, soon after changed. The Queen Charlotte had 
lost her captain, and all her principal officers ; and having, by 
some mischance, run foul of the Detroit, most of the guns of both 
vessels l^ecame useless. In this 'situation, advantage of which 
was immediately taken by Commodore Perry, they were com- 
pelled to sustain, in turn, an incessant fire from the Niagara, 
and other vessels of the American squadron. The British com- 
modore's flag was soon after struck, and those of the Queen 
Charlotte and Lady Prevost, the Hunter and the Chippewa, 
came down in immediate succession. The whole fleet sur- 
rendered to the inferior squadron, with the exception of the 



214 



RESULTS OF TTIE BATTLE. 




Commodore Perry. 

Little Belt, whicli attempted to escape, but was pursued by two 
of the gun-boats, and captured at a distance of three miles from 
the squadron. 

Thus, after an action of three hours, in which the individual 
gallantry of either fleet, had never been surpassed by any naval 
event now to be found on the record of history, was the entire 
command of this important lake, yielded to the American arms. 
To the future operations of the north-western army, every pros- 
pect of success was thrown open, and the recovery of the lost 
territory became no longer doubtful. Commodore Perry informed 
his government, that it had ''pleased the Almighty to crown their 
arms nnth success,'' and attributed the issue to the gallant conduct 
of his officers, his men, and the volunteers on board. Among them, 
are to be found the names of Captain Elliott, Lieutenants Turner, 
Edwards, and Midshipmen Laud, Claxton, Swart^vout, Clark, 
and Cummings — of the conduct of Lieutenants Yarnall and 
Brookes, and Purser Hamilton ; the latter of whom Avorked as a 



INVASION OF CANADA. 215 

common sailor, at a gun, the best evidence has been given — the 
admiration of the whole squadron, as well as that of the enemy. 

The number of killed and w^ounded in both fleets was exces- 
sively great. Commodore Barclay was wounded in the hip, and 
lost the use of his right arm. The other had been shot off in a 
former action. The loss on Ijoard his squadron exceeded two 
hundred. The American loss amounted to twenty-seven killed, 
and ninety-six wounded. The captured vessels were convoyed 
to the bay of Sandusky; and the prisoners, six hitndred in 
number, conducted to Chillicothe. Among these were a few- 
companies of the British 41st regiment, who had been taken on 
board to act as marines. 

The result of this brilliant conflict was immediately followed 
by active and extensive preparations for the expulsion of the 
enemy from Detroit, the entire subjugation of Maiden, and the 
overthrow of General Proctor's army. These objects achieved, 
the operations on the Niagara and St. Lawrence would be 
rapidly facilitated, and the most" plausible prospects held out to 
an expedition against Montreal. Governor Meigs had made a call 
upon the militia of Ohio, as soon as he was informed of the 
attack upon Fort Stephenson, and upwards of fifteen thousand 
volunteers were very soon under arms. Many of these were 
not yet discharged, and General Harrison now required a pro- 
portion of them. At the mouth of Portage river, he intended 
that his whole army should be concentrated ; and between that 
point and Sandusky bay he caused fences of logs to be con- 
structed for the protection of the horses and baggage. 

The governor of Kentucky, Isaac Shelby, arrived at the new 
head-quarters of the army on the 17th of September, with four 
thousand well mounted volunteers. The works at Fort Meigs 
being reduced, and garrisoned by a few^ men. General M'Arthur 
marched from that post with his brigade, and joined the main 
body also. Thus strengthened, General Harrison determined on 
invading the enemy's shores ; and, at the dawn of the 21st, he 
ordered his forces to embark at the mouth of the river, and to 
rendezvous at the different islands, which lay in clusters between 
Maiden and the point of embarkation. To Colonel Johnson, 
who commanded a Kentucky mounted regiment at Fort Meigs, 



216 INVASION OF CANADA. 




he gave orders to proceed to Detroit by land; arrangements 
having been first made, by which that officer and the com- 
mander-in-chief were to be informed of each other's progress 
by daily expresses. 

On the 27th the troops were received on board the fleet, now 
enlarged by the captured vessels. They were embarked at a 
small island, about twenty miles from Maiden, called the Eastern 
Sister, and one of two islands to which the name of the Sisters 
had been given. In the afternoon of the same day, the fleet which 
was composed of sixteen vessels of war, and upwards of one 
hundred boats arrived at a point three miles below Maiden. Here 
the troops were landed in good order, and with perfect silence, 
and proceeded thence to Amherstburg by eschellon movements. 

The T3ritish general well aware that the American commander 
would early avail himself of the advantages lately gained by the 
capture of the fleet, had made preparations to retire into the 
interior of Canada, to a place of better security than Maiden. 
He was apprized ])j his videttes, of the approach of General 
Harrison, and having first set fire to the fort, and destroyed every 
article of pubUc property, he ordered his forces, which were still 
composed of British regulars, and Tecumseh's and Dixon's 
Indians, to retreat along the Thames, and thence toward its course 
to the Moravian towns. The fort, the barracks, and other public 



CAPTURE OF AMUERSTBURG. 217 

buildings were still smoking, when the American army entered 
Amherstburg", and a number of females came out to implore 
protection from its commander. They received it. The guns 
of the batteries had been previously sunk, one only remained on 
an island opposite Maiden, and that had been left in the con- 
fusion of the enemy's retreat to the Thames. 

Amherstburg had heretofore been the repository of Indian 
spoil, and the principal depot of Indian presents. The tribes 
had been continually provided with munitions of war from the 
garrison there ; and rewarded at that post, for the outrages com- 
mitted by them, at various times, upon the people of the adjoin- 
ing American territories. The previous sufferings of the citizens 
of the frontier, had all been derived from the activity of British 
traders who were proprietors of the property and soil; yet, 
though almost every volunteer of the American army had been 
affected, either in his possessions, in his own person, or that of 
his relatives, by the incursions and outrages of the enemy, the 
inhabitants of Amherstburg were protected from violence, and 
their individual property honourably respected. Highly, and 
frequently, as the indignation of these troops had been excited, 
they were still determined to contrast their conduct here with 
that of the British and Indians, at the river Raisin; and the 
house and grounds, therefore, of the most active officer at that 
scene. Colonel Elliott, suffered not the least molestation. 

On the 2Sth the army crossed La Riviere aux Camiards, the 
bridge over which the enemy had not stopped to destroy, and 
arrived at Sandwich on the following day, the fleet moving at 
the same time, through the river Detroit, to that place. Go- 
vernor Shelby's command then occupied the point at which tlic 
first invasion of Canada had been attempted, whilst the remain- 
der of the army crossed over to the delivery of the town of De- 
troit out of the possession of the British Indians, who immedi- 
ately abandoned the garrison, and retreated in different directions. 
General Harrison, knowing that large numbers of warriors, 
under Split-Log, were collecting in the woods near Huron of 
Lake St. Clair, directed General M'Arthur to remain with most 
of the regulars, in the occupation of Detroit, whilst he would 
pursue the army of General Proctor up the Tliames. 



218 SKIRMISH WITH THE INDIANS. 

Colonel R. jM. Johnson's regiment had arrived at Detroit on 
the day after its occupation bv the American army ; and havino- 
concentrated this force, with a part of Colonel Ball's regiment of 
dragoons, and the whole of Governor Shelby's volunteers, the 
commander-in-chief, on the 2d of October, pursued the enemy's 
route. Such was the rapidity of his movement, that he encamped 
in the evening of the same day at the river Riscum, a distance 
of twenty-six miles from Sandwich. Early on the morning of 
the 3d, he resumed his march, and being accompanied by Gene- 
ral Cass and Commodore Perry, as acting aids, he proceeded m 
the advance with Johnson's regiment, in order to secure the 
bridges on the rivers tributary to Lake St. Clair. By the cap- 
ture of a lieutenant of dragoons and eleven privates, who had 
been left in General Proctor's rear. Avith orders to take up every 
bridge hy which the approach of Harrison's army could possibly 
be facilitated, one bridge was saved, and the Am'erican oreneral 
learned, that the enemy had "no certain information of his ad- 
vance up the Thames." AVithin eight miles of this river, at 
Drake's farm, the army encamped for the night, and its baggage 
followed thus far, in the transports of the squadron. 

On the morning of the 4th, the army again proceeded on its 
route, and having reached Chatham, seventeen miles from Lake 
St. Clair, found its progress obstructed by a deep and unfordable 
creek, the bridge of which had been partially destroyed by a 
body of Lidians, who now made their appearance, and fired on 
the front guard. They had taken position on the opposite side 
of the creek, and flanked the American army on the right bank 
of the river. General Harrison made immediate arrangements 
to disperse or capture them. Colonel Johnson was already sta- 
tioned on the right of the line, and had seized the ruins of another 
bridge, under a smart fire from the Lidians on that flank. ]\Iajor 
Wood was directed to bring up his artillery, and cover the pio- 
neers who were repairing the first bridge. This he did with 
unexpected success. The Lidians could not withstand the 
heavy discharges of artillery, and they therefore retired without 
much regard to the order of their retreat. The bridge was 
quickly repaired, and the army having first extinguished the 
flames of a farmhouse, which had been fired by the Indians, 



DISPOSITION FOR THE BATTLE. 219 

Olid captured from it two thousand stand of arms and a quantit}' 
of clothing-, crossed over the creek, pursued the enemy four 
miles up the river, annoyed his rearguard, and took from him 
several pieces of cannon. This skirmish continued one hour, 
in -which time tw^o men of the army were killed, and six wounded ; 
whilst thirteen were killed on the side of the enemy. Besides 
muskets, cannon, and clothing, he lost three vessels, loaded with 
ordnance stores and arms, which the approach of the Americans 
obliged him to destroy. 

On the 5th, the pursuit ^vas eagerly renewed, and attended 
])y the captiu-e of two gun-boats and several barges, loaded with 
provisions and ammunition. Having attained the ground on 
which the enemy had encamped the night before, the commander- 
in-chief directed Colonel Johnson to hasten the march of his ad- 
vance guard, and to send forward an officer to reconnoiter the 
situation of the combined British and Indian forces. This officer 
very soon after returned with intelligence that the enemy were 
prepared for action, in an open ground, within four miles of the 
American main body. 

The road upon which General Harrison was then marching, 
entered a thick and extensive forest on the beach. A short dis- 
tance from the bank of the Thames was a miry swamp, which 
extended to the Moravian town ; and between this swamp and 
the river was a level plain, through which, because of the thick 
underwood in the forest, the army would be obliged to make its 
approaches. Across this plain the British line was drawn up, 
with its left resting on the river, supported by the greatest pro- 
portion of their artillery ; its centre being protected by two heavy 
pieces, and its strength, in regulars, amounting to six hundred. 
Twelve hundred Indians were formed alonof the margin of the 
swamp. 

When General Harrison had come up with the main body, 
and was advised of the advantageous situation of the enemy, he 
ordered Colonel Paul, with one hundred and fifty regulars, to 
occupy a space between the road and the river ; to advance upon, 
and divert the enemy, and on an opportunity, to seize the cannon 
which defended liis left flank. Lieutenant-Colonel James John- 
son w^as directed to form Major Payne's battalion of the mounted 



220 BATTLE OF THE THAMES. 

regiment, and Major Snggett's three spy companies, into six 
charging columns, immediately in front of the British line of 
regulars and an Indian flank ; whilst General Henny's division 
of infantry should be stationed for his support in his rear. Colo- 
nel R. M. Johnson was charged with the formation of another 
battalion, in front of the Indians, who were arrayed on the mar- 
gin of tlie swamp. He accordingly dismounted one company, 
under command of Captain Stucker, with which he stretclied a 
line in the foce of the Indians, and ordered Major Thompson to 
form the remaining four companies, on horseback, into two charg- 
ing columns of double files, immediately in the rear of the line on 
foot. The left of this battalion was supported by the infantry of 
General Desha. 

Thus disposed, with the main army in their rear, these ch- 
visions moved forward to the attack. The British gave the first 
fire, upon which the charge was quickly ordered, and in a few 
moments the enemy's line was pierced by upwards of one thou- 
sand horsemen, who, dashing through the British regulars with 
irresistible speed, either trampled under foot, or cut down every 
soldier who opposed them ; and havmg killed and wounded up- 
wards of fifty at one charge, instantly formed in their rear, and 
repeated the attack. Such was the panic which pervaded the 
whole line of the enemy, that an order which had been issued to 
fix bayonet, was not attempted to be executed ; and, in a little 
while, Colonels Evans, Warburton, and Baubee, and Majors Mair 
and Chambers, surrendered with four hundred and seventy-two 
prisoners. The charge had no sooner been made, than General 
Proctor, fearing the consequences of his conduct in Michigan, if 
he should be taken in this battle, abandoned his command, and 
made his escape in a carriage, under a strong escort of dragoons. 

Whilst this brilliant charge was making on the right, the action 
was raging with great violence on the left. Between the Indians 
there, and the mounted men and infantry drawn up against them, 
it was longer and more obstinately contended. The Indians 
were commanded by Tecumseh, who fought with more than his 
accustomed skill, and having posted his warriors in the best pos- 
sible situations to repulse an attack, he indicated his willingness 
to receive the assault of the American cavalry. Colonel John- 



DEATH OF TECUMSEII. 221 



son, who saw that the Indians would, dispute the ground with 
more bravery than the British regulars, placed himself at the 
head of his battalion, and led it up to a vigorous charge upon 
Tecumseh's flank. That chief at the same moment dealt out a 
tremendoiis fire, which though severe in its effect, did not retard 
the movement of the advancing columns. But the difficulty of 
penetrating the thicket and swamp threw an impediment in the 
w^ay of a successful result to an onset with dragoons, and the at- 
tempt to break the Indian line in consequence failed. An en- 
gagement immediately took place, however, in which, after 
exchanging several rounds with Tecumseh's band. Colonel John- 
so]i ordered both his columns to dismount, and leading them up 
a second time, he made a desperate, but successful effort to break 
through the Indians. Having gained the rear of their line, his 
next order directed his men to fight them in their own mode. 
The contest became now more obstinate. Notwithstanding their 
line had been thus pierced, and their warriors were falling in 
considerable numbers, the Indians did not think themselves yet 
discomfited, and quickly collecting their principal strength upon 
the right, they made an attempt to penetrate the line of infantry 
under General Desha. In this they had partially succeeded, a 
part of that line having faltered, when Governor Shelby brought 
up three companies of his volunteers to its support, and in turn 
threw back the Indians. 

Meanwhile Colonel R. M. Johnson* had been five times 
wounded, and in that state, covered with blood, and exhausted by 
pain and fatigue, he personally encountered Tecumseh. The 
colonel was mounted on a white charger, at which, being a con- 
spicuous object, the Indians had continually levelled their fire. 
A shower of bullets had fallen round him; his holsters, his 
clothes, and most of his accoutrements, were pierced in several 
places ; and at the instant when he discovered Tecumseh his 
horse received a second wound. Tecumseh, havinsf discharsred 
his rifle, sprang forward with his tomahawk, and had it already 
raised to throw, when Colonel Johnson's horse staggered back, 
and immediately the colonel drew forth a pistol, shot the Indian 
through the head, and both fell to the ground together. 

The wounded colonel being then removed from the field, the 

T 2 



222 THE RESULT OF THE VICTORY. 

command of that battalion devolved on Major Tlionijison, who 
continued to fight the whole body of the Indians, (then upwards 
of one thousand,) more than an hour, and eventually ])ut them to 
flight. In their attempt to gain the village, through the level 
plain, they were pursued and numbers of them cut down l:>y the 
cavalry. 

The Americans being now masters of the field, their gallant 
commander, who had been in every part of the action, directed 
the wounded officers and men of both armies to be taken care of, 
and the trophies of the victory to be collected and conveyed to 
the squadron. Among these were several pieces of brass cannon, 
which had been taken from Burgoyne at Saratoga, in the strug- 
gle for the independence of the states, and surrendered again by 
General Hull, thirty-five years afterwards, at Detroit. 

In the battle of the Thames the number of Americans engaged 
did not exceed fourteen hundred. The nature of the ground 
rendered an operation by the whole force impracticable, and the 
main body, therefore, formed a corps of reserve. They sustained 
a loss of fifty men in killed and wounded. The numl)er of tlie 
former, among whom w^as a brave old soldier of the revolution. 
Colonel Whitley, who now served as a volunteer private in a 
Kentucky regiment, amounted to seventeen. The enemy lost in 
regulars alone, upwards of ninety killed, and about the same 
number wounded, and surrendered in all six hundred prisoners. 
Among the Indians one hundred and twenty were killed, includ- 
ing their brave, but ambitious and inveterate leader. 

A squadron of horse, which had been ordered in pursuit of 
Proctor immediately after his flight, returned to General Harri- 
son with the baggage and private papers of the British com- 
mander, which they had taken within one hundred yards of his 
escort. By the speed of his horses, and his knowledge of the 
country, he successfully eluded his pursuers. 

The result of this victory was highly advantageous, not only 
to the operations of the army below, but to all the north-western 
territories, some of whose inhabitants were released from the re- 
straint of a conquered people, and had now a favourable prospect 
of future tranquillity. By this event the whole British force in 
that part of Canada was destroyed ; the association wdth each 



DESTRUCTION OF THE MORAVIAN TOWN. 223 

other of the different hostile tribes to the United States prevented, 
and their reunion with the enemy entirely cut off. By the fall 
of the Shawanese chief the Americans w^ere disencumbered of 
their most pow^erful, inveterate and experienced Indian enemy, 
and a sudden check was given to that spirit of barbarian enter- 
prise to which that frontier had hitherto been subject. Tecumseh 
was a bold, intrepid, and active leader, whose undeviating prac- 
tice it was never to make a prisoner. He was ever ready to 
conceive a daringf and inhuman desisfn, and would execute it with 
unprecedented and remorseless perseverance. His ruling passion 
was the plunder and annihilation of the people, whom he be- 
lieved had encroached upon, and gradually deprived his ancestry 
of their soil. But, when he undertook an expedition accompanied 
by his tribe, he would relinquish to them the spoil, though he 
would never yield the privilege of destroying the victim. To the 
Indians of all other tribes, as well as to that among w^hom he was 
born, the loss of a leader like Tecumseh, on whose capacity and 
conduct as a warrior they could always rely, and who would en- 
courage and assist in their cruelties, was, therefore, irreparable. 
Such indeed, was the effect of his death, upon the tribes gene- 
rally, that many of the chiefs of most of the nations, having no 
confidence in any other leader, gave themselves up to the con- 
quering general, and negotiated with him terms of peace, which 
released his government from the necessity of subsisting their 
warriors. 

On the day following that on which the battle of the Thames 
was fought. General Harrison destroyed the Moravian town, and 
commenced his march for Detroit, where he negotiated terms of 
peace with other tribes, and received a flag from General Proc- 
tor, accompanied by a request, that humane treatment might be 
extended to the British prisoners. This request had been antici- 
pated by the American general, who had already given up the 
simple comforts of his own tent, to the wounded British colonels; 
and had instructed his troops before the battle, that the person 
even of General Proctor should be respected, if, by the fortune 
of the day, it should be thrown into their hands. 

At Detroit, Governor Shelley's volunteers, and the twelve 
months' men, were all honouraljly discharged. The fort was 



224 



JUNCTION WITH THE NORTHERN ARMY. 



garrisoned hy one thousand men, under General Cass, who was 
appointed provisional governor of the Michigan territory ; and 
the civil law was restored to the condition in which it was at the 
time when General Proctor instituted other ordinances for the 
government of the inhabitants. 

In the event of his success against Proctor, the commander- 
in-chief had been directed by the war department, to join the 
northern army on the Niagara ; and accordingly, having, besides 
these arrangements, stationed a respectable force at Maiden and 
Sandwich, on the 23d of October he embarked in the squadron 
of Lake Erie, with all his disposables, and sailed for the village 
of Buffalo, were he arrived before the beginning of November. 




General Harrison crossing the Thames. 



PLAN OF OPERATIONS. 



99.^ 





CHAPTER XII. 

ORRESPONDENT with these move- 
ments of the north-western army, a plan 
of operations on the St. Lawrence had 
been concerted by the united tak^iits 
of the war department, which had been trans- 
ferred to the frontier, and General Wilkinson, 
who, having succeeded to the command of the 
army of the north, had established his head- 
quarters at Fort George. By this plan, the cap- 
ture and occupation of Montreal and Kingston, the grand rendez- 
vous of the British land forces, and the only secure harbour for 
their naval armaments, was contemplated; and the result of its 
successful execution could not fail of being fruitful with advan- 
tages to the future movements of the army, and the contem- 
plated conquest of the province of Lower Canada. The late 
overthrow of General Proctor, in the upper province, increased 
the expectations of the department and the army, and held out 
to each, the most certain prospects of eventual success. Two 
obstacles, however, presented themselves to the entire fulfilment 
of these expectations. The lateness of the season ; which, in a 

29 



226 FORCES ON GRENADIER ISLAND. 

country where the winter commences with great severity, would 
raise up insurmountable obstructions to the movements of the 
troops ; and the difference of opinion betw^een the commanding 
general and the secretary at war, as to which post should be the 
first object of assault. Each being tenacious of his own opinion, 
and both anxious for the consummation of the concerted scheme, 
it became necessary to hasten the impending operations, by the 
adoption of one or the other. The deliberation of a council of 
war was propo ed. To obviata the first difficulty, the removal 
of the second was indispensable, and the necessity of an imme- 
diate decision, upon a question involving the interests of the ex- 
pedition, became more obvious. A council was therefore organ- 
ized, and conceiving that the success of the design depended on 
an early movement of the designated force, they decided without 
hesitation on a descent upon Montreal. 

Arrangements were then adopted to collect and concentrate the 
different regiments on Grenadier island, a point between Kingston 
and Sackett's Harbour, which had been assigned as the best ren- 
dezvous, because of its contiguity to the head of the St. Lawrence. 
Orders were forwarded to Fort George, to Colonel Scott of the 
artillery, who had been left by General Wilkinson in command 
of that post, to embark his artillery and Colonel Randolph's regi- 
ment of infantry, on board a vessel of the squadron, and to proceed 
to the island. The general had left the garrison of Fort George 
on the 2d of October, with the largest portion of the troops, who 
were now awaitina: the remainder at the rendezvous, and had 
been actively employed in providing clothing and other equip- 
ments necessary to the soldiers in the course of their movement 
down the river. Between Grenadier island and Sackett's Har- 
bour, he had made frequent voyages, to see that the troops were 
well bestowed at the former, and that the different detachments 
which almost daily arrived at the latter, were immediately de- 
spatched thence. He had caused a sufficient number of boats to 
be prepared to convey the artillery through the St. Lawrence ; 
and having assigned the command of Sackett's Harbour to Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Dennis, he thence proceeded to put the troops in 
motion at the island. 

By this time, the 23d, the force at that place amounted to 



RETREAT OF THE BRITISH TO KINGSTON. 227 

nearly eight thousand men, and was composed of Colonel Moses 
Porter's light artillery ; a few companies of Colonel Scott's (2d) 
regiment of artillery; Colonel Macomb's (3d) regiment of artil- 
rery ; the 5tli regiment of infantry ; the 6th, commanded by Cap- 
tain Humphreys ; the 11th; the 12th, Colonel Coles; the 13th, 
commanded by Colonel Preston of the 23d ; the 14th, Lieutenant- 
Colonel Dix; the 15th, Colonel Brearly; the 16th, Colonel Pearce; 
the 21st, Colonel Ripley; the 22d, Colonel Brady ; the 25th; and 
Major Forsythe's rifle corps. 

Having issued the necessary orders, General Wilkinson re- 
solved on moving on the 25th ; and although the gales which had 
prevailed for several days continued with unabated violence, and 
were now attended with heavy rains, his anxiety to promote the 
issue of the expedition induced him to order the embarkation of 
the troops; and, butfeting with a disorder which had rendered 
his health extremely precarious, he remained on the island until 
the embarkation was nearly completed, directing the boats to take 
advantage of the momentary pauses of the storm to slide into the 
St. Lawrence. 

A few days before, intelligence had been forwarded by Colonel 
Scott, of the enemy's having evacuated the intrenchments in the 
neighbourhood of Fort George, and of their having burnt and 
otherwise destroyed all their camp equipage and many stand of 
arms, in order to facilitate the march of their troops to Kingston ; 
to which place they had been ordered as soon as General Wil- 
Ivinson's contemplated movement was discovered. They had 
been apprized of the intentions of the American general previous 
to the 9tli, and on that day they abandoned the whole peninsula 
on the Niagara, and directed their attention to the defense of 
Kingston, against which they supposed the Americans would 
move. To keep that impression alive, and to confine their plans 
to the protection of Kingston only. General Wilkinson fixed on 
French creek, which lies immediately opposite the point at which 
the British suspected he would land, as the general rendezvous 
of the troops after their entrance into the St. Lawrence. Brio-a- 
dier-General Brown (now of the United States regulars) was 
ordered forward to command the advance of the army at that 
place, and the rear was soon after strengthened by the arrival 



228 DESCENT OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 

at Grenadier island of the 20th regiment, under Colonel Ran- 
dolph. 

On the 1st of November the enemy appeared at French creek 
with a squadron of four large vessels, and a number of boats filled 
with infantry, and attacked the detachment at that place in the 
evening. General Brown hastily made arrangements to defend 
his position, and after a short cannonade the enemy's vessels were 
compelled to retire, by a battery of three eighteen-pounders, 
which had been erected and managed with great spirit by Cap- 
tains McPherson and Fanning of the artillery. The enemy fell 
down to a convenient harbour, and renewed his attack on the 
following morning. By the same judicious arrangements he was 
again repulsed, and a few hours afterwards the American squad- 
ron entered the St. Lawrence, and took a position near French 
creek, to command the north and south channels. On the 3d 
and 4th the rear of the army arrived at the general rendezvous. 
On the 5th the flotilla of transports got under w^ay, and arrived 
without accident below Morrisville. 

On the 6th the commander-in-chief ordered the flotilla to de- 
scend with the whole army, to a point within three miles of Pres- 
cott, and directed the powder and flxed ammunition to be de- 
l)arked, and transported by land, under cover of the night, below 
the enemy's batteries. Before either of tliese orders was put in 
execution, he proceeded in his gig to reconnoiter the place, and 
having concluded that the safest passage of the troops would be 
effected on shore, he ordered the delmrkation of every man, ex- 
cept the number necessary to navigate the boats, and the army 
marched by night, two miles below Prescott. Arrangements were 
also made for the passage of the flotilla, to the same point ; and 
General Brown being the general officer of the day, was charged 
witli the superintendence. Availing himself of a heavy fog which 
came on at eight o'clock in the evening, the commander-in-chief, 
believing lie could pass the enemy's fort unobserved, put the flo- 
tilla and the marching columns in motion at the same instant, 
and proceeded in his gig, followed by liis passage boat and staff, 
ahead of the former. An unexpected change of the atmosphere 
enabled the enemy's garrison to discover the boats, and the 
columns upon land, whose movements had been simultaneous. 



DESCENT OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 229 



Nearly fifty twenty-four-pound shot were fired at the general's 
passage boat, and the columns were assailed with great numbers 
of shot and shells. Neither of these attacks were successful, nor 
did the Americans sustain the slightest degree of injury. The 
flotilla had been halted by General Brown as soon as the firing 
was heard, and it did not resume its course until the setting of 
the moon ; when, in attempting to pass, at the same place, it was 
attacked also. It nevertheless pursued its passage to the place of 
destination, under a heavy, though ineffectual fire of three hours. 
During all this time, of three hundred boats of which tlie flotilla 
was comprised, not one was touched by a ball ; and before ten 
o'clock of the 7th, they all safely arrived at the designated ren- 
dezvous. From this place the commander-in-chief forwarded an 
order to General Hampton, commanding the left division of the 
northern army to form a junction with the division then descend- 
ing the St. Lawrence. 

On the 7th the difficulties in this descent increased. The in- 
disposition of the general became alarming. The passage of the 
troops was delayed half a day in extricating two schooners from 
the river near Ogdensburg, which were loaded with provisions, 
and had been driven to that place by the enemy's fire. In the 
couree of the morning, the commander-in-chief had been informed 
that the coast below was lined with posts of artillery and mus- 
ketry, at every narrow pass of the river. He therefore detached 
Colonel Macomb, with the elite corps of about twelve hundred 
men, to remove these obstructions. At three in the afternoon the 
army followed. Immediately after passing the first rapid of the 
St. Lawrence, the passage boat of the general was again attacked 
by two pieces of light artillery, wdiich Colonel Macomb had not 
observed in his march. No other injury was done, however, than 
the cutting of the rigging, the attention of these pieces being di- 
verted from that object by Lieutenant-Colonel Eustis and a few 
light gun-barges, between whom and the enemy a cannonade 
was kept up, without effect on either side. But Major Forsythe, 
who was in Macomb's rear, having landed his riflemen, and ad- 
vanced upon the enemy, three pieces were precipitately carried 
away. About six miles below^ the town of Hamilton, the flotilla 
came to, and the general received intelligence of Colonel Ma- 
u 



230 DESCENT OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 




General Macomb. 



comb's having routed the enemy at a block-house, two miles 
lower. The dragoons, which were attached to the first division 
of the army, had by this time assembled at a place called the 
White House, situated at a contraction of the river. On the 
morning of the 8th the flotilla proceeded to this point, and after 
having ordered General Brown to go forward with his brigade, to 
reinforce Colonel Macomb, and to take command of the advance 
of the army. General Wilkinson directed the transportation of 
the dragoons across the St. Lawrence. This business was com- 
pleted in the course of the night. 

Not long after the descent of this river was commenced Ijy 
the American army, the British troops, who had been concen- 
trated in the vicinity of Kingston, having discovered that that 
post was not the object of the expedition, immediately proceeded 
to Prescott. The day following that on which the Americans 
had passed this village, the British commandant sent a flag over 
to Ogdensburg, with a demand for the delivery of all the public 
property there, under the penalty of the immediate destruction 
of the town. Without waiting, however, for a compliance with 
this demand, the enemy embarked about fifteen hundred troops, 
and followed General Wilkinson's descent, with an intention of 
annoying his rear. On the 9th they had so far gained upon it, 



DESCENT OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 231 




as to briiif^ on a skirmish between the American riflemen and a 
party of British mihtia and Indians. After having killed one 
man, the enemy w^ere completely repulsed. 

N the course of this day, the cavalry, 
with four pieces of artillery, under 
Captain McPherson, w^ere attached to 
the command of General Browm, who 
was ordered to clear the coast below, 
as far as the head of the '^Longue 
' Saiity After being obliged to halt 
several hours, by the rapidity of the 
current, to enable General Brown to 
make good his march, in time to cover the movements of the 
flotilla. General Wilkinson arrived at a point called tlie Yellow 
House, which stands near the saut. 

On the morning of the 10th he ordered General Brown to 
prosecute his march with all the troops under his command, 
except two pieces of artillery and the 2d dragoons. A regard 
for the safety of the men, induced the commanding general to 
march as many of them as possible, as the passage of the Longue 
Saut would be long and dangerous. This regiment, therefore, 
as well as all the men of the other brigades, with the reservation 
of a proper number to navigate the boats, were assigned to 
General Boyd, who was ordered to take necessary precautions 
to prevent the enemy, hanging on* the rear, from making an 
advantageous attack ; and if attacked, to turn upon, and if pos- 
sible to beat them. 

General Brown, in obedience to these orders, marched with 
the advance, then consisting of about eighteen hundred men, and 
composed principally of Colonel Macomb's artillery, some com- 
panies of Colonel Scott's regiment, part of the light artillery, the 
riflemen, and the 6th, 15th, and 22d regiments. At a block- 
house near the saut, which had been erected to harass the flotilla 
in its descent, he w^as engaged by a strong party of the enemy, 
with whom he contended for a few minutes, and at length com- 
pelled them to retire. This repulse was effected entirely by 
Major Forsythe, who was severely wounded in the engagement. 
General Brown then took a position near the foot of the saut. 



232 BATTLE OF CHRYSTLER's FIELD. 

At the same time a number of British galleys and gun-boats 
approached the flotilla, now at the shore, and commenced a 
cannonade. The galley mounted a long twenty-four-pounder, 
which materially injured the American barges and it became 
necessary to run two eighteen-pounders on shore, and form a 
battery to resist the enemy's attack. One shot from this battery 
obliged the British to retire up the river; and it being then too 
late to trust the flotilla to the saut, the current in which allows 
no chance to land, or to pursue any other than its own course, 
the barges lay too until the morning of the 11th. 

At ten o'clock on that day the flotilla was prepared to sail; 
and the division under General Boyd, consisting of his own and 
Generals Covington and Swartwout's brigades, was already 
formed in marching order, when an alarm was heard from the 
gun-boats, and the commanding general was apprized that the 
enemy were advancing in column. The increasing indisposition 
of General Wilkinson rendered him incapable of taking the 
field ; General Lewis having declined the command in conse- 
quence of being ill also, General Boyd was ordered to turn upon 
and attack the British force. The enemy's gun-boats were 
advancing at the same time, with a view to attack the rear 
of the flotilla as soon as it should move off". The olflcers 
having it in charge were therefore directed not to leave the 
shore. General Boyd advanced upon the enemy, with his 
detachment formed in threb columns, and forwarded a body of 
General Swartwout's brigade, consisting of the 21st regiment, 
to meet and bring the enemy to action. Colonel Ripley, with 
this regiment, ranged through the woods, which in a semicircle 
skirted Chrystler's fields, and drove in several parties of the 
skirmishers. Upon entering the open field, he discovered the 
British advance, consisting of the 49tli and Glengary regiments. 
With these he immediately commenced an action, in which he 
twice charged these united regiments, either of which being 
more than equal to the 21st, and drove them over the ravines 
and fences by which Chrystler's field was intersected, when they 
fell upon their main body. 

Meanwhile General Covington had advanced upon the enemy's 
right, where his artillery had been planted, and at the moment 



BATTLE OF CIIRYSTLER S FIELD. 



233 




General Ripley. 

when the 21st assailed the British left flank, this brigade forced 
the right by a vigorous onset, and the result of the action was now 
looked to with great certainty. The gallant conduct of General 
Covington attracted the attention of a party of sharp shooters 
stationed in Chrystler's house, one of whom levelled his piece, 
and shot him from his horse. Tlie wound proved to be mortal, 
and in two days after the general died. The fall of their com- 
mander threw that brigade into confusion, and it very soon broke 
before the enemy's artillery, and, together with the 16th, took 
shelter behind the 21st, which was still engaged with the British 
left and centre. Four pieces of artillery had been planted to en- 
filade the enemy's right, but out of reach of support ; and when 
Covington's brigade fell back, the British commander wheeled 
part of his line into column to attack and capture them. 

A body of dragoons, under the Adjutant-General Walbach, 
attempted, in a very gallant manner, to charge the British column, 
but the nature of the ground prevented its being checked, and the 
intervention of the 21st between the cannon and the enemy alone 
retarded his advance. The British then fell back with much 
precipitation. The 25th, which had been disordered, was at this 
time in a ravine ; and on all parts of the field skirmishes and de- 
tached battles were kept up with various success. The 21st 



u2 



30 



234 RESULTS OF THE BATTLE. 

being out of ammunition, was withdrawn from the exposed posi- 
tions of the o-round, and a second attempt was soon after made 
upon the cannon. The death of Lieutenant Wilham W. Smith, 
of the h'Tht artillery, who commanded one piece, enabled the 
enemy to capture the only trophy they obtained. The coolness 
and bravery of Captain Armstrong Irvine, saved the remaining 
pieces, which he brought off the field. The action immediately 
after ceased. It had been fought with distinguished gallantry by 
about seventeen hundred undisciplined men, against the same 
number of British veterans, and its duration w^as upwards of two 
hours. The enemy's force consisted of detachments from the 
49th, 84th, 104th, the voltigeurs, and the Glengary regiment. 
These retired to their encampment, and the Americans to their 
boats. 

The American loss on this occasion amounted to three hundred 
and thirty-nine. One hundred and two of whom were killed. 
Among these were Lieutenants Smith, Hunter, and Olmstead. 
The loss in wounded was swelled by the rank and worth of the 
officers on that list. General Covington, Colonel Preston, Majors 
Chambers, Noon, and Cummings ; Captains Foster and Town- 
send, of the 9th; Myers and Campbell, of the 13th; Murdoch, of 
the 25th; and Lieutenants Heaton, of the 11th; Williams, of the 
13th; Lynch, of the 14th; Pelham, of the 21st; and Brown and 
Crary, of the 25th, were the officers composing it. 

In this battle the victory was claimed on both sides. An im- 
partial examination of the result, however, will either lead to the 
conclusion that it was a drawn battle, or that if any advantages 
occurred to either party, they were decidedly gained by the 
Americans. The front of the enemy had been forced back more 
than a mile in the early part of the action, and it never regained 
the ground thus lost. To use the words of the American gene- 
ral, his views and those of the British commander " were precisely 
opposed. The first being bound by the instructions of his govern- 
ment, and the most solemn obligations of duty, to precipitate his 
descent of the St. Lawrence by every practicable means; and the 
last, by equally imperative duties, to retard, and if possible, to pre- 
vent such descent. If then, he (the British commander) found 
himself victorious on this day, it was certainly in his power to 



COUNCIL OF WAR. 



235 




General Wilkinson. 



have eifected the one or the other object, and as he made no at- 
tempt to effect either, it follows incontestibly, that he had no fair 
ground on which to claim a victory." So far from obstructing 
the further descent of the river, the enemy never again assailed 
the column upon land, or the barges of the flotilla. Early on the 
morning of the 11th the army proceeded on its route, and reached 
Barnhart, near Cornwall, where it rejoined the advance. At this 
place General AVilkinson received a letter from General Hamp- 
ton, in which he declined a meeting at St. Regis, the place named 
in the orders which had been sent to him on the 6th, and in- 
formed the commander-in-chief that he intended to march to 
Lake Champlain, and thence to co-operate in the attack upon 
Montreal. General Wilkinson immediately concluded that it 
■would be useless to prosecute his route to Montreal any further, 
and that every prospect of a desirable termination to the campaign 
was destroyed. He therefore summoned together the principal 



236 Wilkinson's order. 

ollicers of that division of the army with which he was acting, 
who determined that the receipt of this despatch rendered it ex- 
pedient that the army should quit the Canadian side of the St. 
LawTence and go into winter quarters at French Mills, on Salmon 
river, which it accordingly did on the 13th instant. After having 
surmounted many 4)erilous difficulties in the descent of a river 
crowded with various obstructions, the further prosecution of its 
passage was entirely abandoned by the united determination of 
the commander-in-chief and his council of war. 

Whether the refusal, on the side of General Hampton, to form 
a junction with General Wilkinson at the St. Regis, instead of 
adopting his own plan of marching by Champlain and Cogna- 
wago, should have prevented the prosecution of the campaign to 
its original object, does not come within the province of these 
sketches to discuss. It is the business of the writer of them to 
be studiously impartial ; and he does not hesitate to acknowledge 
his belief, that many circumstances are yet to transpire before 
the public opinion can be regulated. The order of the command- 
er-in-chief, and the answer to that order, are the only papers 
which can, at this early day, be procured ; and the reader has an 
opportunity of making up his own judgment from them.* 

* Head-Quarters of the Army, District No. 9, seven miles above Ogdensburg, ) 

iVoi'. 6th, 1813, in the evening. ) 

Sir : — I address you at the special instance of tlie secretary of war, who, by bad roads, 
worse weather, and ill health, was diverted from meeting me at this place, and deter- 
mined to tread back his steps to Washington from Antwerp, on the 29th ultimo, 
t I am destined to, and determined on, the attack of Montreal, if not prevented by some 
act of God ; and to give security to the enterprise, the division under your command 
must co-operate with the corps under my immediate orders. The point of rendezvous is 
the circumstance of greatest interest to the issue of this operation, and the distance 
which separates us, and my ignorance of the practicability of the direct or devious roads 
or routes on which you must march, make it necessary that your own judgment should 
determine that point. To assist you in forming the soundest determination, and to take 
the most prompt and effectual measures, I can only inform you of my intentions and 
situation in one or two respects of first importance. I shall pass Prescott to night, be- 
cause the stage of the season will not allow me three days to take it ; shall cross the 
cavalry at Hamilton, which will not require a day, and shall then press forward, and 
break down every obstruction to the confluence of this river, with Grand river, there to 
cross to the isle Perrot, and with my scows, to bridge the narrow inner channel, and 
thus obtain foothold on Montreal island, at about twenty miles from the city ; after 
which our artillery, bayonets, and swords, must secure our triumph, or provide us ho- 
nourable graves. Inclosed you have a memorandum of my field and battering train, 



GENERAL HAMPTON S ANSWER. 237 

Whilst General Wilkinson was engaged in concentrating the 
left division of the army at Grenadier island, preparatory to the 

pretty well found in fixed ammunition, which may enable you to dismiss your own ; but 
we are deficient in loose powder and musket cartridges, and therefore hope you may be 
abundantly found. On the subject of provisions, I wish I could give as favourable in- 
formation ; our whole stock of bread may be computed at about fifteen days, our meat at 
twenty. In speaking on this subject to the secretary of war, he informed me that ample 
magazines were laid up on Lake Champlain; and therefore I must request you to order 
forward two or three months supplies, by the safest route, in a direction to the proposed 
scene of action. I have submitted the state of our provisions to my general officers, 
who unanimously agree, that it should not prevent the progress of the expedition ; and 
they also agree in opinion, that if you are not in force to face the enemy, you should 
meet us at St. Regis, or its vicinity. 

I shall expect to hear from, if not to see you, at that place on the 9th or 10th inst. 

I am, &c. 

JAS. WILKLXSON. 
Major-General W, Hampton. 

P. S, I was preparing an express, which I should have despatched to-morrow, but 
for the fortunate call of Colonel Kinar. 



Head-Quarters, Four Corners, ) 
Kuv. 8, 1813. \ 

Sir : — I had the honour to receive, at a late hour last evening, by Colonel King, your 
communication of the 6th, and was deeply impressed with the sense of responsibility it 
imposed, of deciding upon the means of our co-operation. 

The idea suggested as the opinion of your ofiicers, of effecting the junction at St. 
Regis, was most pleasing, as being the most immediate, until I came to the disclosure 
of the amount of your supplies of provisions. Colonel Atkinson will explain the reasons 
that would have rendered it impossible for me to have brought more than each man 
could have carried on his back; and when I reflected, that in throwing myself upon 
your scanty means, I should be weakening you in your most vulnerable point, I did not 
hesitate to adopt the opinion, after consulting the general and principal officers, that by 
throwing myself back upon my main depot, where all the means of transportation had 
gone, and falling upon the enemy's flanks, and straining every effort to open a commu- 
nication between Plattsburg and Cognewago, or any other point you may indicate, on 
the St. Lawrence, I should more effectually contribute to your success, than by a junc- 
tion on the St. Regis. 

The way is in many places blockaded and abatised, and the road impracticable (or 
vhcels during winter; but by the employment of pack-horses, if I am not overpowered, 
I hope to be able to prevent you from starving. 

I have ascertained, and witnessed, the plan of the enemy is, to burn and consume 
every thing in our advance. My troops, and other means will be described to you by 
Colonel Atkinson. Besides their rawness and sickness, they have endured fatigues 
equal to a winter campaign, in the late snows and bad weather, and are sadly dispirited 
and fallen off: but upon this subject I must refer you to Colonel Atkinson. 

With these means what can be accomplished by human exertion, I will attempt, with 
a mind devoted to the general objects of the campaign. 

W. HAMPTON. 

To Major-General Wilkinson. 



238 OPERATIONS OF GENERAL HAMPTON. 

descent of the St. Lawrence, General Hampton had determined 
on movino- the right division from Champlain down the Chateaii- 
gay, for the purpose of obtaining a situation from which it could 
with more facility co-operate in the contemplated movements 
against Montreal. On the 21st of October he put his troops in 
motion, having first arranged a line of communication as far up 
the St. Lawrence as Ogdensburg. An extensive wood, filled 
with hewn timber, and covered with Indians and the enemy's 
licrht troops, threw an impediment in the way of the engineers 
who were to cut a road for the passage of the artillery and stores. 
General Izard had been detached with the light troops and one 
reo-iment from the line, to turn them in flank, and to seize on the 
open country below. In this he succeeded, and the main army 
advancing on a circuitous road, reached the advanced position on 
the evening of the 22d. 

At a distance of seven miles from the ground on which the 
army encamped, w^as a wood which had been formed into an 
abatis, and was filled with a succession of breastworks, the rear- 
most of which was well supplied with ordnance. Behind tliese 
the disposable force of the enemy was placed, in front of them 
the light troops and Indians. Sir George Prevost was supposed 
to be the commander-in-chief of the forces and breastworks thus 
arranged. It was resolved to attack and dislodge him. Colonel 
Purdy, who commanded the first brigade, was ordered on the 
25th to ford the river, and march down on its opposite side until 
he should reach the enemy's rear, where he was to recross the 
river and attack him in his breastworks ; whilst the second bri- 
gade, under General Izard, was to assail him in front. The fire 
from one w^as to be the signal of attack for the other. Colonel 
Purdy accordingly marched down on the opposite bank, but had 
not proceeded far when he received a countermanding order from 
General Hampton, issued in consequence of a communication 
from the quartermaster-general's department, which the general 
deemed unfavourable to the prosecution of his plan. 

In attempting to return to the place at which he had previously 
crossed the river. Colonel Purdy was attacked by the enemy's 
infantry and Indians, who were repulsed after a short contest, 
though they had thrown the American column into partial con- 




RETREAT OF GENERAL HAMPTON. 239 



fusion. The British at the same time came out of their works to 
attack the second brigade on the opposite side. They were re- 
pulsed at this point also, and General Izard drove them rapidly 
behind their defenses. The first brigade attempted the construc- 
tion of a bridge of logs, and though it was assailed by a consider- 
able force of the British regulars, and received a sharp fire across 
the river, the bridge was completed and Colonel Purdy recrossed 
his men. He was again attacked, and several times resisted the 
charges of the enemy. The army commenced a retreat after 
losing about fifty men ; and as General Hampton received an ac- 
count of the enemy's being continually reinforced, he resolved, 
on the advice of a council, to retreat to the Four Corners. The 
army accordingly, on the 31st, returned to a position which it 
held many days before. In these various skirmishes, Majors 
Snelling and Wool were particularly distinguished. 

A 2)etite guerre was kept up on the lines by Colonel Clark, who 
commanded a regiment of infantry acting as riflemen, which had 
already, on several important occasions, been of great annoyance 
to the enemy. But this-incursive warfare was stopped soon after 
the return of General Hampton's division, and all the troops 
under his command were put into winter quarters in the course 
of the month of November, and the command resigned to Gene- 
ral Izard. 

Not long after the departure of General Wilkinson from Fort 
George, that post fell successively to the command of Colonel 
Scott, General Harrison, and General M'Clure of the New York 
militia ; under each of whom frequent skirmishes took place. In 
one of these. Colonel Wilcocks, with the Canadian volunteer 
mounted regiment, behaved with personal bravery, and gave an 
augury of the services which the American government might 
expect from this new species of troops. 

On the 10th of December it was ascertained that the enemy 
had collected a force of fifteen hundred regulars, and at least seven 
hundred Indians, and were proceeding on their march to Fort 
George, to expel the Americans from the garrison and the shores. 
The remnant of an army, of which the garrison was at that time 
composed, rendered the post altogether untenable, and General 
M'Clure determined on destroying the town of Newark and the 
^ ■ 



240 CAPTURE OF FORT NIAGARA. 

batteries by which it was protected, and evacuating Fort George, 
with a view to posting himself at Fort Niagara. Accordingly, 
havino- first o-iven the inhabitants full notice of his intentions, he 
put them into execution, and crossed his force over to the Ameri- 
can shore. Newark was left in flames, and the guns of Fort 
Georfre were rendered useless. The British forces arrived only 
in time to find themselves without shelter, and were obliged to 
fall back to Queenstown. From this place General M'Clure at- 
tempted to dislodge them by the batteries at Lewistown, but 
without effect. 

The British commander became highly incensed at the destruc- 
tion of the tow^n of Newark, and secretly resolved on the confla- 
gration of Buffalo, Schlosser, and Lewistown, and the capture of 
Fort Niagara ; the garrison of which they destined to be put to 
the sword. A surmise of these intentions of the enemy induced 
the American commander to transfer his head-quarters to Buffalo; 
to which place he immediately set out to provide for the protec- 
tion of its citizens, and called forth the neighbouring militia eri 
masse. 

Fort Niagara was at this time garrisoned by three hundred 
and twenty-four sick and effective men, and was commanded by 
Captain Leonard, of the artillery, who, notwithstanding the noto- 
rious fact of the enemy's being within two hour's march of the 
fort, neglected to provide against an assault by night ; and on the 
evening of the 18th took up his quarters at a farm two miles dis- 
tant from his command. At four o'clock on the morning of the 
19th, the enemy, four hundred in number, crossed the Niagara 
"under Colonel Murray, and approached the principal gate, which 
was then open. Accompanied by his Indian warriors, he rushed 
furiously in upon the garrison, and in a few minutes put an end 
to all opposition. The only resistance which was made he re- 
ceived from the guard in the south-east block-house, and the sick 
wdio crawled out from their beds. What officers were within the 
fort, exhausted every means of defense of which the suddenness 
of the attack had not deprived them. On entering the garrison 
Colonel Murray received a wound in the arm ; soon after which 
he yielded the command to Colonel Hamilton — under whose 
superintendence the women of the garrison were stript of their 



BURNING OF LEWISTOWN. 



243 



clothing, and many of them killed, and the persons of the dead 
officers treated with shocking indignity. In the mean tiinc Cap- 
tain Leonard arrived and was made prisoner, and out of the whole 
number of troops in the garrison, twenty only effected tlieir 
escape. The British flag was immediately after unfurled, and the 
enemy had the entire command of the entrance to the Niagara. 

In the course of the same morning about seven hundred Indians 
made an attack upon Lewistown, which was defended by a small 
detachment of militia under Major Bennett, who resisted the as- 
sailants until he was entirely surrounded, and then desperately 
cut his way through with the loss of eight men, and effected his 
retreat. This village, and those of Young's town, ivlanchester, 
and the Indian Tuscarora, were speedily reduced to ashes. — 
Whilst the Indians were engaged in firing Lewistown, INIajor 
Mallory boldly advanced from Schlosser, and attaclved their outer 
guard at Lewistown heights, and compelled it to fall back to the 
foot of the mountain. The Indians were soon reinforced how- 
ever, and the gallant Mallory was in turn obliged to retire. He 
retreated gradually to Tantawanty creek, occasionally turning 
upon, and fighting their advance guard, for two daj's, at the end 
of which time the Indians gave up the pursuit. In these affairs 
Major Mallory lost Lieutenant Lowe, of the 23d infantry, and 
eight men. 

General M'Clure having collected nearly three thousand 
militia at Buffalo, left them under command of General Hall, 
and repaired himself to the village of Batavia, about twenty-eight 
miles from Buffalo, to provide for its protection against a sally 
from Fort Niagara. He had previously sent Lieutenant Riddle 
to that place, with all the regulars in the vicinity, amounting in 
the whole to eighty men, to secure the public arsenal. On his 
arrival at Batavia, after having organized a body of militia there, 
he ordered the regulars back to Buffalo, to encourage, by their 
example, the undisciplined troops of his division. 

On the 30th the British landed six hundred and fifty men at 
Black Rock, and immediately proceeded to the village of Buffiilo. 
Before they reached it, however, they were obstinately opposed 
by Colonel Bleeksly and two or three hundred raw and undis- 
ciplined militia. General Hall had fallen back about three miles 



244 BURNING OF LEWISTOWN. 

from Buffalo, when liis force was met by Lieutenant Riddle and 
his regulars. The British had already entered the village, and 
the militia fled with the greatest precipitation. Riddle offered 
to march with his regulars in front, and thus to excite the 
timid militia to repulse the enemy, and drive him from the 
village. But the general, yielding to the unwillingness of his 
men, declined the proposal of the regular officer, wdio thereupon 
rode towards the village, to reconnoiter. He advanced witliin 
half a mile of its suburbs, and seeing that with a handful of 
spirited men, he could himself save the place from destruction, 
he returned to General Hall, and entreated him to place two 
hundred men under his command, with wdiom he promised at 
least to rescue the women and children, wdio would otherwise 
be sacrificed by the Indians, if not to drive out the enemy. 
General Hall was of opinion that this plan was impracticable. 
Lieutenant Riddle, therefore, was prevented from attempting it. 
By the exertion of Major Staunton and Major Norton, each of 
whom belonged to the village, about two hundred men were 
collected, and expressed their willingness to combat the British 
and Lidians. These were advised that it was in vain to attack 
their enemy, and this advice was sanctioned by the general. At 
length, having become quite indignant at the timidity of the 
militia. Lieutenant Riddle took upon himself the responsibility 
of going forward with his own men, and of rescuing as much 
public property as they could bear away. He entered the upper 
part of the village, where he w^as informed by a citizen, that 
Colonel Ghapin, who had, long before the flight of the militia, been 
ordered to take post at Conejockeda creek, had surrendered the 
place to the enemy, under the condition that they were to 
plunder, but not to burn it. The Indians were at that moment 
firing the houses. Lieutenant Riddle, wdth thirty men, then 
took from the arsenal, which had not been discovered by the 
enemy, about three hundred stand of arms, and some other 
public property, and having made two Indian prisoners, returned 
to the position occupied by General Hall. 

On the following day, January 1st, (1S14,) a small party of 
dragoons were ordered in advance of the whole militia, wiiicli 
General Hall marched to the vicinity of the village, in order to 



ADVENTURE OF RIDDLE AND TOT MAN. 245 

make a show of force. Captain Stone, who commanded the 
advance, accompanied by Lieutenant Riddle, Lieutenant Tot- 
man, of the Canadian volunteers, and Lieutenant Frazer, of the 
15th regiment, infantry, made several prisoners on the margin 
of the village, and having delivered them to the general, the 
latter immediately ordered his whole force to retire, and called 
in the advance for that purpose. Riddle and Totman, not 
knowing that the dragoons had fallen Imck, were left in the near 
neighbourhood of the enemy, and upon being discovered by a 
squadron of the British horse, they immediately put s})urs to 
their own, and attempted to escape toward the rendezvous of 
General Hall's brigade. They very soon outstripped their pur- 
suers, and w^ere congratulating themselves upon their supposed 
escape, when another squadron of the enemy were perceived 
coming out of the road leading from Black Rock, and directing 
their course for Buffalo, between which and that road Riddle 
and Totman then were. Thus hemmed in on a narrow higrh- 
way, with a superior enemy in front and in the rear, they 
saw no probable prospect of escaping, and would have given 
themselves up, but for the treatment which other prisoners on 
the Niagara had recently received, and the practice, which had 
about this time commenced, of makins^ hostas^es. No alternative 
seemed to present itself, but that of cutting their way through 
the party in their front; and on this they mutually resolved. 
On their attempting to dash through, with violent impetuosity, 
the whole party discharged their pistols at them, one only of 
which took effect, and the unfortunate Totman fell from his horse. 
Riddle cut throuo^h with his sword, and havinsf ffained their 
rear, pushed his horse through a narrow lane on the left, and 
rode into a thick swamp, terminated by a forest. Through this 
the enemy did not choose to follow him, and he arrived at the 
head-quarters of the general on the same day, without liaving 
met with other obstacles. 

In a few days after, the British evacuated all the positions 
they had captured except Fort Niagara. This tliey put in a 
better state of defense, and from it they made frequent incur- 
sions, which were ever attended by acts of violence upon the 
neiirhbourino- inhabitants. 



246 RESULTS OF THE CAMPAIGN. 



The campaign of 1813, in tlie north, was now drawn to its 
final close ; and though a high degree of fulgency was thrown 
around the American arms, no one advantage was obtained to 
atone for the blood and treasure which had already been ex- 
hausted. The cajiital of Upper Canada had been taken. It was 
scarcely captured before it was abandoned. The bulwark of the 
province, Fort George, had been gallantly carried ; but an infe- 
rior foe was suffered to escape, after being beaten, and the con- 
querors were soon after confined to the works of the garrison, 
and closely invested upwards of six months. The long contem- 
plated attack upon Montreal was frustrated ; Kingston still re- 
mained a safe and advantageous harbour in the hands of the 
enemy ; and a fortress, which might have been long and obsti- 
nately, and eff'ectually defended, was yielded with scarcely a 
struggle, and under circumstances mysterious in the extreme, to 
the retaliating invaders of the American Niagara frontier. In 
the course of the summer of 1813, the American army possessed 
every position between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, on both 
sides of the Niagara. In the winter of the same year, after hav- 
ing gradually lost their possessions on the British side of the 
stream, they were deprived of their possessions on their own. 
Another day may bring forward a developement of the causes 
which led to such unfavourable results ; and posterity will be 
much Ijetter enabled to throw the censure on the proper officers 
tlian those who are their contemporaries. 




HORNET CHALLENGES THE EONKE CITOYENNE. 247 




iiftaff 1 



CHAPTER XIII. 

tcEt ef itTje Hal all ©aimjiaign of 1318^ 



HE United States sloop of war 
Hornet, havini^ challenged to a 
combat the sloop of war Bonne 
Citoyenne, Captain Green, ^^'llo 
declined an acceptance of the in- 
vitation, she was left before the 
port of St. Salvador, by Commo- 
dore Bainbridge, with orders to 
blockade the enemy's vessel of 
war, containing upwards of half 
a million of dollars, and two 
armed British merchantmen, then 
lying in that harbour. This 
blockade was vigilantly kept up 
until the 24th of January, 1813, 
on which day the Montague seven- 
ty-four, hove in sight, and chased the Hornet into the harbour, 
whence, however, she escaped in the night. Captain Lawrence, 
who still commanded her, then shifted his cruising ground ; and 
after having captured a vessel of ten guns, laden with specie, 




248 HORNET AND PEACOCK. 

and having run down the Coast for Maranham, thence off Siir- 
rinam, and thence for Demarara, outside of the bar of the river 
leading to which place, and with the fort bearing south-west, 
about two and a half leagues distant from him, he discovered 
a man-of-war brig, which lie immediately attempted to near, by 
beatim^ round the Carabana bank. In making this effort, a 
second sail, of equal size to the other, was also discovered, at 
about half past three, p. i\i. At twenty minutes past four, the 
strange sail, the British sloop of war Peacock, Captain Peake, 
of eighteen guns, and one twelve-pounder carronade, a shifting 
gun, showed the English flag, and the Hornet was immediately 
cleared for action, and Captain Lawrence made every attempt 
to get the weather-gage. The Peacock was edging dowai fast. 
All the efforts of the Hornet to weather her proved fruitless, and 
at twenty-five minutes past five, the American ensign being then 
up, in passing each other the two vessels exchanged broadsides, 
within half pistol-shot. The effect of this fire on board the 
enemy's vessel was extremely severe ; on board the Hornet no 
loss whatever was sustained. The Peacock, being then disco- 
vered in the act of wearing. Captain Lawrence bore up, received 
her starljoard broadside, run her close on board on the starboard 
quarter, and poured into her so heavy, constant, and well-di- 
rected a fire, that in fifteen minutes she surrendered, with her 
hull and rigging totally cut to pieces. At the moment of her 
surrender, she hoisted a signal of distress, and in the next mo- 
ment her mainmast went by the board. 

Lieutenant Shubrick, whose gallantry on this occasion was 
not less conspicuous than in the actions with the Guerriere and 
Java, in each of which he gave unequivocal proofs as well of his 
humanity as of his bravery, was despatched to bring her officers 
on board the Hornet. He soon returned with her first ofiicer, 
and a report that the Captain had been killed in the latter part 
of the action, that a great number of her crew were either killed 
or wounded, and that she was sinking fast, having already six 
feet water in her hold. Both vessels were brought to anchor, 
and all the boats immediately despatched to bring off the 
wounded, and as much of their baggage as could be found. All 
the shot-holes which could be got at were then plugged, the 



Smma 




32 



HORNET AND PEACOCK. 251 

guns thrown overboard, and every possible exertion used to keep 
her afloat, by pumping and baiUng, until the prisoners could be 
removed. All efforts appearing to be entirely unavailing, the 
body of Captain Peake was inclosed in his own flag, and the 
ship sunk in five and a half fathom water, carrjdng down thir- 
teen of her own, and three of the Hornet's crew. With the ut- 
most difficulty, Acting-Lieutenant Conner and Midshipman 
Cooper, who were superintending the removal of the prisoners, 
effected their escape, by jumping into a boat which was lying 
on her booms, at the moment when the Peacock sunk. 

The loss of the enemy amounted to thirty-three in wounded, 
three of whom afterwards died. The number of killed could not 
be ascertained, but four men, besides the captain were found dead 
on the Peacock's deck ; and four men, in addition to the thirteen 
who sunk, were drowned. The loss on board the Hornet was 
one man killed, two slightly wounded in the action, and two se- 
verely, by the bursting of a cartridge. Her hull was scarcely 
injured, though tlie rigging and sails were cut, her foremast 
pierced through, and her bowsprit slightly injured. 

The officers and crew of the Hornet were not behind those of 
any other ship, in emulating the example of Captain Hull and 
his brave companions ; and the course and consequence of this 
engagement bore a striking similitude to that with the Guerriere. 
Acting Lieutenants Conner and Newton, and Midshipmen 
Cooper, Mayo, Gets, Smoot, Tippet, Boerum, and Titus, behaved 
with that bravery which had now become almost inseparable 
from the American name. Lieutenant Stewart, the first officer 
of the ship, was unfortunately too ill to keep the deck, and Cap- 
tain Lawrence was therefore deprived of the services of a meri- 
torious and valuable officer. 

This engagement took place in view of the ship of war which 
lay in Demarara river, the Espeigle ; and Captain Lawrence, 
being apprehensive that she would beat out to the assistance of 
her consort, the Peacock, the greatest activity prevailed on board 
the Hornet, to repair damages, as soon as they were sustained, 
and by nine o'clock all the boats were stowed, new sails bent, and 
the ship completely prepared for another action. The Espeigle, 
of equal force with the Peacock, did not come out. 



252 CRUISE OF THE CHESAPEAKE. 

Captain Lawrence's crew had been on two-thirds allowance of 
provisions for several days; and the number of souls now on 
board amounting to two liundred and seventy, including those of 
the merchant prize, it became necessary that she should return 
to the United States. Siie shaped her course for New York, 
where she arrived about the twentieth of March. On the passage, 
her officers divided their clothing with tlie prisoners, who had lost 
their baggage ; the crew of the ship gave up each a portion of 
theirs to the crew of the Peacock ; and the private wardrobe of 
the captain, whose attentions to the wants of those whom the 
fortune of war had placed in his hands, and whose exertions to 
ameliorate their condition were unceasing, was given up to her 
officers. At New York, Captain Lawrence w^as received with 
universal joy ; and his reception in other cities was similar to 
that which had been given to other naval commanders. 

Many days had not elapsed after the arrival of the Hornet at 
New York, when the United States frigate Chesapeake, Captain 
Evans, of thirty-six guns, returned to the harbour of Boston, from 
a cruise of one h undred and fifteen days. During that time she 
had run down by the Madeiras, Canaries, and Cape de Verds, 
and thence down on the equator, where she cruised six weeks. 
Hence she proceeded down the coast of South America, and 
passed within fifteen leagues of Surrinam. On the 25th of Fe- 
bruary, the day after the conquest of the Peacoclv, she passed 
over the place at which that vessel had been sunk, and thence 
proceeded down by Barbadoes, Antigua, and most of the wind- 
ward islands, thence on the coast of the United States, between 
Bermuda and the capes of Virginia, by the capes of the Delaware 
within twelve leagues, by New York within tvv^enty, and thence 
by the east channel to Boston, w^here she terminated a cruise, on 
the lOtli of April, marked by the capture of four valuable mer- 
chantmen, the chase of a British sloop of war, and an escape from 
two line of battle ships. 

The command of this ship was then given to Captain Law- 
rence, her late commander. Captain Evans, having accepted the 
command of the New York station, and directions were imme- 
chately given to repair and re-equip her for another cruise. Com- 
modore Hodgers had returned to that port also, from a cruise, in 



CHESAPEAKE AND SHANNON. 253 

which, though he did not capture any armed ship of the enemy, 
he drew from the coast such of his pnbhc vessels as were destined 
to blockade the different ports, and saved to the mercantile inte- 
rest of the country many millions of dollars. The President and 
Congress were at that time the only vessels of his squadron. To 
keep these in port, the British frigates Shannon and Tenedos, 
each being of the largest class, appeared off the entrance to the 
harbour of Boston, and sent in frequent reports of their size, 
strength, and armament. Early in the month of May, however, 
Commodore Rodgers put to sea; but the British frigates avoided 
him by sailing from the coast. 

In the course of that month the Shannon returned to the mouth 
of the harbour, and her commander. Commodore Brooke, sent in 
a challenge to the commander of the frigate Chesapealve. This 
challenge was not received l^y Captain Lawrence, but his ship 
being then in readiness, he understood the menacing manoeuvers 
of the Shannon to be an invitation, and on the 1st of June, with 
a crew almost in a state of mutiny, and unacquainted with their 
new captain, and without his full complement of officers, his first 
lieutenant, Page, being sick on shore, he sailed out to meet, and 
give battle to the hostile ship. The Shannon sailed from the 
bay and put to sea, the Chesapeake following in chase, seven 
miles astern. At half-past four the Shannon hove to, with her 
head to the southward and eastward ; and at half-past five, the 
Chesapeake hauled up her courses and was closing fast with the 
enemy. At fifteen minutes before six he commenced the action 
by firing his after guns on the starboard side, wdien the Chesa- 
peake gave him a broadside ; this was succeeded by a broadside 
from the Shannon, which killed the sailingmaster, Mr. White, 
and many of the crew, and wounded Captain Lawrence ; he re- 
fused to quit the deck, however, and ordered a second broadside, 
the return to which wounded the captain a second time, and killed 
the fourth lieutenant, Ballard, and Lieutenant Broom of the 
marines. The Chesapeake then ranged ahead of the Shannon, 
when her jib sheet, the slings of the foretop-sail j^ard, her spanker 
brails, and her bowlines and braces being cut, she luffed into the 
wind and took aback, and fell with her quarter foul of the Shan- 
non's starboard anchor. This accident gave a decided advantage 



254 CHESAPEAKE AND SHANNON. 



to tlic enemy, and enabled him to rake the Chesapeake. Cap- 
tain Lawrence was all this while on deck, still persisting m his 
refusal to go below, when, having called for the boarders, he re- 
~ ceived a musket-ball through the body, and in a languishing state 
was carried down. At this moment the ship was deprived of all 
her principal officers ; the first lientenant, Augustus C. Ludlow, 
had been mortally wounded ; several of the midshipmen and 
petty officers, besides the fourth lieutenant and the commanding 
officer of marines, were either killed or wounded, and the com- 
mand of the ship devolved on her third lieutenant, Budd. The 
bravery and seamanship of this officer being already known to 
the crew, some hope remained of saving the ship, and of captur- 
ing the superior enemy. But, as Lieutenant Budd ascended the 
spar-deck, an arm-chest on the quarter was blown up by a hand 
grenade thrown from the Shannon's tops. The boarders very 
soon followed Lieutenant Budd, but before they reached the deck, 
Captain Brooke had determined that the Chesapeake could only 
be carried by boarding, and having already so many shot between 
wind and water in his own ship, that he became apprehensive of 
her sinking, he threw his marines on the Chesapeake's quarter- 
deck, and headed them himself Lieutenant Budd immediately 
gave orders to haul on board the fore-tack, for the purpose of 
shooting the ship clear of the Shannon, and of attempting the 
capture of Captain Brooke, wdio had then two hundred of his 
crew on board the Chesapeake. On this effiDrt the fate of the 
ship depended, and most of the American crew, mindful of the 
dying words of their gallant commander, whose injunction on 
them was " Bon't give up the ship,'' several times attempted to 
succeed in it; but the boatswain having mutinied, and persuaded 
many of the men, who were dissatisfied at not having received 
their prize money of the last cruise, to join him below ; the few 
who remained firm to their duty were soon overpowered ; and 
Lieutenant Budd being wonnded and thrown down to the gun- 
deck in attempting to gain the quarter, the scheme entirely failed, 
and the enemy gained complete possession of the upper deck. A 
great proportion of the crew, who had escaped a wound, never- 
tlieless continued fighting ; and Captain Brooke, as he was cross- 
ing the ship, was shot through the neck by the Chesapeake's 



LL-:- 



CHESAPEAKE AND SHANNON. 



255 



chaplain, Livermore, ^vhom he instantly cut down ; but he, almost 
as soon, received a wound in the head, and was then transferred 
to his own ship. The enemy's crew were now commanded by 
Lieutenant Watt, who stabbed and cut down the wounded and 
vanquished without regard to their cries of surrender. He was 
killed on the Chesapeake's deck, according to one account, by one 
of the Shannon's sailors, as he was placing, by mistake, the Ame- 
rican over the English ensign; according to another, by an 
American sailor in the main-top, when, in the act of kiUing a 
wounded marine. The enemy had now the entire possession of 
the Chesapeake ; the English flag was flying at the different 
mast-heads, yet they continued to shoot at, and otherwise to 
wound her sailors. A volley of musketry was fired l^y them 
down upon the wounded, and one of the American midshipmen 
was assailed by a British marine with great violence after his 
submission to the Shannon's commander. 

N this engagement, the re- 
sult of wdiich is attributed to 




many fortuitous events, the 
superiority of the American 
gunnery was clearly evinced. 
The Chesapeake fired two 
guns to one of the enemy, 
and pierced the Shannon's 
side in so many places, that 
she was kept afloat with very 
great difflculty; whilst on 
the other side, the Shannon's 
broadsides scarcely injured 
the hull of the Chesapeake. 
At long shot, the engage- 
ment might have terminated differently ; though the captain and 
crew were strangers to each other, the ship just out of port, and 
not in a fighting condition, and many of the sailors quite raw. 
Her rate was thirty-sjjc guns, her force forty-eight. The rate of 
the Shannon was thirty-eight, her force forty-nine; and, in 
addition to her own crew, she had on board sixteen, chosen men 
from the Bella Poule, and part of the crew of the Tenedos. She 



256 CHESAPEAKE AND SHANNON. 

lost in the eiigag-emcnt, besides her first lieutenant, the captain's 
clerk, the purser, and twenty-three seamen, killed ; and, besides 
her captain, one midshipman and fifty-six seamen, wounded. 
On board the Chesapeake, the captain, the first and fourth lieu- 
tenants, the lieutenant of marines, the master, midshipmen 
Hopewell, Livingston, Evans, and about seventy men w^re 
killed ; and the second and third lieutenants, the chaplain, Mid- 
shipmen Weaver, Abbott, Nicholls, Berry, and nearly eighty 
men. wounded. The greater proportion of this loss was sus- 
tained, after the enemy had gained the deck of the Chesapeake. 

Soon after the termination of the action, the two ships were 
steered for Halifax, where the bodies of Captain Lawrence and 
his gallant officers slain in the battle, were committed to the 
grave wdth the usual honours, attended by all the civil, naval, 
and military officers of the two nations, who happened to be in 
that port. 

Not long after these honourable funeral obsequies had been 
performed by the enemy, Captain George Crowninshield, bro- 
ther to the secretary of the navy, actuated by the laudable 
desire of restoring the body of the lamented Lawrence to his 
country and his friends, requested, and obtained, permission of 
the president to proceed in a flag vessel to Halifax, at his indi- 
vidual expense, for that purpose. The commanding officer of 
the British squadron, at that time blockading the eastern ports, 
Sir Thomas Hardy, readily assented to the free passage of Cap- 
tain Crowninshield's brig, and he accordingly proceeded to effect 
his object, accompanied by twelve masters of vessels, who 
volunteered to compose the crew. The body was brought to the 
port of Salem, and entombed with the remains of its ancestors in 
New York, where the highest funeral honours were paid by the 
citizens, as a tribute of their respect and admiration, to their late 
gallant countryman. 

The private armed vessels of the United States, the number 
of wdiich had greatly increased since the account is given of 
them in a foregoing chapter of these sketches, were still cruising 
over the Atlantic, continually capturing, and otherwise annoying 
the commerce of the enemy, and occasionally engaging some of 
his public ships, in such gallant combats as are entitled, and 



CRUISE OF THE C O I\I E T. 257 

ousflit to be recfistered among: the accounts of the most brilliant 

O o o 

naval exploits. 

The Comet, Captain Boyle, of fourteen guns, and one hun- 
dred and twenty men, being off Pernambuco, on the 14th of 
January, discovered four sail standing out of that place. This 
squadron consisted of three English merchantmen, the ship 
George, Captain Wilson, of fourteen guns, and the brigs Gambler, 

Captain Smith, and Bowes, Captain , often guns each, who 

were bound to Europe, under the protection of the fourth vessel, 
a Portuguese national ship of thirty-two guns, and one hundred 
and sixty-five men. The latter having exhibited the colours of 
her nation. Captain Boyle, stood for her, and received a com- 
munication of her character and object, accompanied by an 
injunction not to molest the merchantmen. Considering that 
the Portuguese had no right to afford protection to a British 
vessel, in the nature of a convoy. Captain Boyle informed her 
commander of his determination to capture them if he possibly 
could, and immediately sailed in pursuit. As they kept close 
together, the Comet opened her fire upon the three merchant- 
men, who returned it with alacrity. The man-of-war delivered 
a heavy fire of round and grape, and received in turn a broad- 
side. The English occasionally separated from each other, to 
give the Portuguese a chance of crippling the Comet, whose 
captain, however, kept as near as possible to the merchantmen. 
Frequent broadsides were discharged, as opportunities varied, 
at the whole squadron, whose collected force amounted to fifty- 
four guns, and in a few minutes the ship George struck her 
colours in a sinking condition. Soon after the brig Bowes 
struck also ; but a broadside from the man-of-war prevented the 
Comet's boat from taking possession. Captain Boyle then 
repeated his attack upon the Portuguese, and obliged her to 
sheer off, with the loss of her first lieutenant and five men killed, 
and her captain and several men wounded. The third merchant- 
man, the Gambler, then also surrendered, and the brig Bowes, 
was immediately taken possession of So much were the others 
injured, that Captain Boyle deemed it improper to board them, 
and determined to lie to until morning, it being by this time 
excessively dark. Between the Portuguese and the Comet, 

y2 33 



258 THE GENERAL ARMSTRONG. 

several Ijroadsides were exchanged in the course of the night, 
without any material effect. On the following morning, the 
man-of-war gave signal to the other ships to make the first port, 
and stood off herself with that view. The Comet brought her 
prize into the United States, making her way through a squad- 
ron which was blockading the southern ports. Before she 
arrived, however, she captured the Alexis, and Dominica packet, 
each of ten guns, and the Aberdeen of eight, in the presence of 
a British sloop of war, who was at the same time in full chase 
of the privateer. 

On the 1st of February, the schooner Hazard, Captain Le 
Chartier, of three guns and thirty-eight men, captured the ship 
Albion, of twelve guns and fifteen men, being one of a convoy 
for Europe. On the 23d she was recaptured by the cutter Cale- 
donia, of eight guns and thirty-eight men, from New Providence. 
Three days after, the Hazard fell in with both, engaged, and 
after an action of several minutes, compelled both to strike, but 
took possession of the prize only and carried her into St. Mary's. 
The Caledonia was very much injured, and most of her crew 
either killed or wounded. On board the Hazard, the first Lieu- 
tenant and six men were slightly wounded, but the hull and 
rigging were severely shattered by the grape from the two 
vessels. 

The private armed schooner General Armstrong, Captain 
Champlin of eighteen guns, being within five leagues of the 
mouth of Surrinam river, on the 11th of March, discovered a 
large sail to be at anchor under the land. The crew of the Ge- 
neral Armstrong supposed her to be an English letter of marque, 
and, consequently, Captain Champlin bore down wdth the inten- 
tion of giving her a starboard and a larboard broadside, and then 
to board her. The strano^er in the mean time had (^ot sail on 
her, and was standing out for the American. Both vessels thus 
approaching each other, had come within gun-shot, (the English- 
man firing the guns on his main deck,) when the General 
Armstrong discharged both the contemplated broadsides, and 
discovered too late that her antagonist was a heavy frigate. She 
nevertheless kept up her fire, though attempting to get away, 
but in ten minutes she was silenced l)y the enemy. The 



THE GENERAL ARMSTRONG. 261 

last shot of the General Armstrong- brought down the enemy's 
colours, by cutting away her mizzen gaff, halyards, and her 
mizzen and main stay ; and Captain Champlin, presuming that 
she had struck, made preparations to possess her ; but the frigate 
opened another heavy fire upon the schooner, killed six, and 
wounded the captain and sixteen of her men; shot away the 
fore and main shrouds, pierced the mainmast and bowsprit, 
and struck her several times between wind and water. In this 
condition she laid upwards of forty-five minutes, within pistol- 
shot of the frigate ; but, by the extraordinary exertions of the 
crew and the aid of sweeps, she got out of the enemy's reach, 
and arrived at Charleston on the 4th of April. 

On the 3d of that month, the privateer Dolphin, of ten guns, 
still commanded by Captain Stafford, who had engaged and cap- 
tured two of the enemy's vessels, mounting twenty-six guns, 
was attacked at the mouth of the Rappahannock river, l3y seven- 
teen barges from a British squadron. The barges carried up- 
wards of forty men each ; the Dolphin was manned by sixty. 
Two letters of marque lying there also, soon yielded, but Cap- 
tain Stafford resolved on defending his vessel. The battle con- 
tinued two hours, wdien the enemy succeeded in boarding. The 
Dolphin's crew fought with great desperation on her deck, and 
the engagement w^as kept up many minutes longer before the 
vessel w^as captured. The enemy took down her colours, and 
lost in killed and w^ounded nearly fifty men. On board the Dol- 
phin four men were w^ounded. 

In the course of the summer the United States sloop of war 
the Enterprise, Lieutenant-Commanding Burrows, of sixteen 
guns, met, engaged, and captured, after a severe and obstinate 
fight, the British sloop of war Boxer, Captain Blythe, of eighteen 
guns, and brought her into port. The captains of both vessels 
were killed in the engagement. Lieutenant-Commandant Bur- 
rows expired at the moment the enemy's vessel struck her 
colours, and she was then taken possession of by Lieutenant 
M'CalL* 

At a harbour near Gwinn's island, Lieutenant St. Clair of 

* A more particular account of this action in the next naval chapter. 



262 



DECATUR AND DOMINICA. 




Enlerpribe and Bo\er. 

the navy, who had previously distinguished himself as an able 
seaman in the sloop of war Argns, anchored a small schooner 
mounting two or three guns, and filled with armed men, to repel 
the depredations which the enemy were about that time commit- 
ting along the shores of the Chesapeake. He encountered a 
schooner, who hailed and ordered him to come on board with his 
boat, which being refused, an engagement followed and terminated 
in silencing the strange vessel. She, however, renewed it a 
second and a third time, and was as often silenced. The nigrht 
was excessively dark, and when Lieutenant St Clair sent his 
boat to take possession, he discovered that she had made her es- 
cape, leaving him with one man wounded on board the schooner. 
This succession of sea engagements was closed by a brilliant 
attack made by a privateer upon a large sloop of war. The 
schooner Commodore Decatur, of ten guns, commanded by Cap- 
tain Dominique, engaged the sloop of war Dominica, Lieutenant- 
Commandant Barret, of fourteen guns, and after a well contested 
action carried her by boarding, and brought her into the United 
States. No event, probably, in the naval annals, furnishes evi- 
dence of a more brilliant and decisive victory gained by a vessel 
so inferior in size, strength, and armament, to her antagonist. 




MEASURES OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. 



263 




CHAPTER XIV. 



HE declaration of war against 
Great Britain was no sooner 
made known at that court 
than its ministers determined 
on sending into their pro- 
vinces of Canada the veteran 
regiments of their army, and 
adopted effectual measures to 
forward to the coast of the 
American states a naval force 
competent to blockade its 
principal bays and rivers. 
Incensed at the successes of 
the American naval arms over 
the frigates and sloops of war of their nation, they hastened the 
departure of their different fleets, and in retaliation for the inva- 
sion of their provinces by the American troops, instructed their 
commanders to burn and otherwise to destroy, not only the coast- 
ing and river craft, but the towns and villages on the navigable 
inlets ; and more particularly in the southern department of the 
Union. Early in the spring of 1813 detachments of these fleets 
arrived at the mouth of the Delaware, and at the entrance to the 






264 ATTACK ON LEWISTOWN. 

Chesapeake bay. Others were to rendezvous at Bermuda, and 
thence to proceed to the reinforcement of the blockading squadrons. 
In tlie month of March, the Poictiers seventy-four. Commodore 
Beresford ; the frigate Belvidere, and several smaller vessels of 
war entered the bay of Delaware, and destroyed great numbers of 
small trading vessels. In the course of that month, thej^ were 
repeatedly repulsed in their attempts to capture others whicli 
lay near the shore, by the militia of Delaware ; and several in- 
stances occur of sharp fighting, which tended to improve the 
discipline of the volunteers of that state. 

MONG other expedients for obtaining sup- 
plies, a demand was made upon the peo- 
ple of Lewistowai for a supply of provi- 
sions for the blockading squadron, whicli 
' being spiritedly refused, on the 6th of 
April, Sir John P. Beresford directed 
Captain Byron to move as near the town, 
^^^^^^^^J^ "3 with the Belvidere, as the waters w^ould 
permit him, and, having first notified its inhabitants, to bombard 
it until his demands were complied with. On the night of the 
6th, the boml)ardment accordingly took place ; the enemy's gun- 
boats approached near enough to throw their thirty-two pound 
Ijalls into the town, but their bombs fell far short of their object. 
Colonel Davis, who commanded at that time, had already re- 
moved the women and children, and returned the enemy's fire 
from an eighteen -pounder battery, with which, in a few minutes, 
he effectually silenced one of the gun-boats. The cannonade 
continued nearly twenty hours; at the end of which time, the 
enemy drew off his vessels and descended the bay, having dis- 
charged upwards of six hundred shot, shells, and congreve 
rockets. The shells did not reach the towai ; the rockets passed 
over it; but the thirty-two pounders injured several of the 
houses. 

On the 10th of May, the same squadron proceeded from their 
anchorage to a place seven miles distant from Lewistown, and 
sent out their Ijarges to procure water from the shore. Colonel 
Davis immediately despatched Major George Hunter, with one 
hundred and fifty men, to oppose their landing, which the major 



NAVAL ACTION. 



265 



did with much gallantry, and compelled them to return to their 
shipping. The Poictiers and the Belvidere then sailed out of 
the bay for Bermuda; and the militia took up the buoys, which 
had previously been set in the river by the enemy. 

The Spartan frigate having entered the Delaware soon after 
the departure of this squadron, attempted, on the 31st of the same 
month, to land about sixty of her men near Morris's river, on 
the Jersey side, with a view^ to obtain provisions. A small party 
of the militia of that state, however, hastily collected and drove 
them off before they had an opportunity of visiting the farmers' 
houses. 

In the month of June, the frigate Statira and the sloop of war 
Martin, reinforced the enemy, and had captured many large 
merchant vessels bound up the Delaware. The whole trade be- 
tween the capes and Philadelphia, and many of the intermediate 
places, was liable to be intercepted ; and, unless they were pro- 
tected by a convoy, the small vessels usually employed on the 
river, did not attempt to sail. On the 23d, a squadron of nine 
gun-boats and two armed sloops, under Lieutenant-Commandant 
Angus, of the navy, convoyed three sloops laden with timber for 
a forty-four, then building at Philadelphia, under the eye of the 
enemy. The gun-boats engaged the two frigates, wdiilst the 
sloops effected their passage, and the Statira and Spartan moved 
from their anchorage to a situation out of reach of annoyance. 

A merchant sloop having entered the bay on the 22d of July, 
on her return from sea, was cut off by the Martin sloop of war, 
which had just reappeared in the Delaware. The sloop ran 
aground to avoid capture ; and although she was afterwards at- 
tacked by a tender and four barges well manned and armed, a 
hasty collection of militia with one field-piece, under Lieutenant 
Townsend, drove off her assailants, and saved the sloop. 

A detachment of the gun-boat flotilla, being at this time but a 
few miles off, were apprized of the attack made by the sloop of 
war, and Captain Angus immediately proceeded down the bay, 
with eight gun-boats and two block sloops. On the 29th he dis- 
covered the Martin, grounded slightly on the outer ridge of 
Crow's shoals, and determining to attack her in that situation, 
he anchored his squadron within three-quarters of a mile of the 

Z 34 



•266 GUN- BOAT ACTION ON THE DELAWARE. 



enemy, and opened a fire from the whole hne. The Junon fri- 
gate came up to tlie assistance of the sloop of w^ar, and anchored 
wathin half a mile below her. Between both of the enemy's ves- 
sels, mounting in all sixty-nine guns, and the gun-boat squadron 
a cannonade followed, and continued about one hour and forty- 
five minutes ; in all which time scarcely a shot struck either of 
the gun-boats, whilst at almost every fire the latter told upon the 
hulls of the sloop and frigate. This difference of effect in the 
firing being discovered by the British, they manned their 
launches, barges, and cutters, ten in number, and despatched 
them to cut off the boats on the extremity of the line. 

No. 121, a boat commanded by Sailingmaster Shead, which, by 
some accident, had fallen a very great distance out of the line, 
and was prevented from recovering its situation by a strong ebb, 
and the wind dying away, became the object of attack from the 
enemy's barges. Eight of them, mounting among them three 
twelve-pound carronades, and carrying one hundred and fifty 
men, assailed the gun-boat at one time. Mr. Shead continued, 
nevertheless, to sweep her toward the squadron, and to discharge 
his twenty-four pounder alternately at one or the other of the 
pursuing barges, until they gained so fast upon him, that he re- 
solved to anchor his boat and receive them as warmly as the 
disparity of numbers would permit him. He then gave them a 
discharge of his great gun with much effect, though to the injury 
of tlie piece, w4iich being fired a second time, and the carriage 
breaking down, it became necessary to oppose the enemy, who 
were closing fast, by the boarders. With these Mr. Shead re- 
sisted them, until his deck was covered with men, and the vessel 
entirely surrounded by the barges. Such was the impetuous fury 
of the English sailors, that the Americans w^ere driven below, and 
the authorLty of the enemy's officers could scarcely protect them 
from violence. The flag was struck, and the boat carried off in 
triumpli to the men-of-war. 

In this assault the British lost seven killed and twelve w^ounded. 
On board the boat, seven men were wounded, but none killed. 
The squadron was all this time firing at the enemy's ships, who 
retired after capturing Mr. Shead, the Martin having been ex- 
tricated from her situation on the shoal. On board the flotilla not 



DEPREDATIONS ON CHESAPEAKE BAY. 



267 



a man was injured, and but one of the boat's rigging cut ; this 
was No. 125, commanded by Saihngmaster MoKere. The en- 
gagement continued nearly two hours, and was the last aifair of 
any consequence which occurred in the Delaware during this 
year. 

In and along the shores of the bay of Chesapeake, where the 
blockading squadron consisted of four seventy-fours, several 
frigates and large sloops of war, and a number of tenders and 
barges kept for the purpose of navigating the smallest inlets, de- 
predations of every kind, and to a very extensive degree, were 
carried on with unremitted avidity. The various farms, bounded 
by the different creeks and rivers, tributary to the bay, became 
the scenes of indiscriminate and unjustifiable plunder. The stocks 
of many of them were completely destroyed ; the slaves of the 
planters, allured from their service, armed against their masters' 
defenseless families, and encouraged to the commission of every 
kind of pillage. Along a coast of such an extent it was almost 
impossible to station troops to resist every incursion, or to draw 
out, and transfer from one point to another with sufficient celerity, 
even the neighbouring militia. But many instances occurred, 
notwithstanding, in which the invaders were opposed, and some- 
times severely repulsed, by a handful of militia, collected without 
authority, and frequently without a leader. 

On the shores of the Rappahannock, one of two divisions of 
the enemy was beaten and routed with loss, by a small party of 
Virginia militia. In the neighbourhood of Easton (Maryland) 
they took possession of several islands. From Sharp's, Tilgh- 
man's, and Poplar island, they obtained provisions for the fleet, 
and attempted many incursions to the opposite shores, their suc- 
cess in which was prevented by bodies of cavalry and infantry, 
which the spirited citizens of Maryland had arranged at different 
rendezvous along the shores of the bay, in anticipation of a visit 
from the blockading fleet. 

The commanding officer of the fleet, Sir John B. Warren, was 
at this time in Bermuda, making preparations for its augmenta- 
tion ; and the vessels then in the bay were commanded by Rear 
Admiral George Cockburn. About the latter part of April, this 
officer determined on attacking and destroying the towns most 



268 



ATTACK ON HAVRE DE GRACE. 



contiguous to the head of the bay ; and for this purpose, on the 
29th, he led a few hundred of his marines, in the barges of his 
ship, the Marlborough, to the attack of Frenchtown, a place 
containing about six houses, two storehouses, and several stables ; 
and important only because of being a place of intermediate 
depot, between Baltimore and Philadelphia. A party of militia 
from Elkton, too inferior to the invaders to justify an attempt at 
resistance, retired on their approach, and Admiral Cockburn 
landed his marines and destroyed the storehouses, in which were 
deposited a quantity of goods belonging to merchants of those 
cities, of immense value, and a splendid architectural drop cur- 
tain and other paintings, belonging to the Philadelphia and Bal- 
timorQ theatres. The marines being no professed admirers of the 
arts, these were destroyed without much hesitation. The private 
houses were saved by the interference of some respectable citi- 
zens ; and after plundering the others, and setting fire to two 
vessels lying in the harbour, the British returned to their ship- 
ping. 

HE town of Havre de Grace, situated 
on the west side of the Susquehan- 
na, about two miles from the head 
of the bay, and through which the 
great post-road passes, was the next 
object in the plan of the admiral's 
operations. On the morning of the 
3d of May he proceeded to its assault 
with nineteen barges, and when 
within a short distance of the town 
commenced a tremendous bombardment, accompanied by the 
firing of cannon and the discharge of numerous rockets. In ex- 
pectation of an attack from the enemy, the people of Plavre de 
Grace had made preparations for the defense of the place, and a 
battery had been erected of two six-pounders and one nine. 

At the time of the assaidt the inhabitants were in their beds, 
and there being no sentinels, the first notice they had of the ap- 
proach of the enemy was from the discharge of one of his pieces. 
The battery had been assigned as a place of rendezvous in the 
event of an attack ; but such was the surprise which the presence 







ATTACK ON HAVRE DE GRACE. 



271 



of the enemy excited, and so incessant his discharges of shells and 
rockets, that five or six men only were fearless enough to repair 
to their breastwork and resist the approaches of the British barges. 
This small party kept np a fire from the battery until the enemy's 
advance commenced its debarkation; when all, except O'Neill, 
an old citizen of Havre de Grace, abandoned their posts, and fol- 
lowing the militia, who had fled with shameful precipitation, left 
the women and children of the place to the mercy of the invaders. 
O'Neill continued, with great difficulty, to discharge one of the 
six-pounders, until in recoiling it ran over his thigh and rendered 
him incapable of further resistance in that way. But collecting 
all his strength, he armed himself with two muskets, and retreat- 
ing from the battery to the rear of the town, vainly endeavoured 
to retard the flight of the militia. 

In the mean time the whole body of the enemy had landed, 
and were actively engaged in destroying the houses. They set 
fire to those which had not been injured by their shells, broke 
the furniture, and cut open the bedding of the citizens to augment 
the flames ; destroyed the public stages, maimed the horses, cut 
to pieces the private baggage of the passengers, tore the clothing 
of some of the inhabitants from their backs, and left to others those 
only which they w^ore. Women and children, flying in every 
dn-ection to avoid a relentless foe, and to seek protection from 
their own countrymen, were insulted by the morose seamen and 
marines ; and the only house which yet remained entirely unin- 
jured, was sought by one and all as an asylum. In this, which 
Avas a spacious and elegant private mansion, several ladies of the 
first distinction had taken refuge, and among them the wife of 
Commodore Rodgers. An officer, who had just before made pri- 
soner of O'Neill, was entreated to suffer this house, at least, to 
escape the general conflagration : but as he was obeying the orders 
of Admiral Cockburn, the most he could do was to suspend his 
purpose until those unprotected women could prevail upon the 
admiral to countermand them. The only act partaking of the 
least degree of humanity wdiich the admiral could boast of on this 
occasion, was his compliance with these earnest entreaties. 

Having spread desolation through the whole town, and de- 
stroyed the doors and windows of a handsome church contiguous 



272 DESTRUCTION OF CECIL FURNACE. 



to it, the admiral divided his party into three sections, one of 
whicli remained in the town to give notice of the approach ot 
danger ; the second proceeded on the road leading toward Baltimore, 
plundering the houses and farms between Havre de Grace and 
Patterson's Mills, and robbing private travellers on the highway 
of their money and apparel ; and the third went six miles up the 
river to a place called Cresswell's Ferry, whence, after commit- 
ting many acts of outrage, they returned to concentrate their 
force at the place of landing. Here the admiral ordered them to 
re-embark, and having crossed the Suscpiehanna, the whole 
scpiadron of his barges made round the point which is formed at 
its entrance, and shaped their course three miles further up the 
bay, where .the party relanded, repaired to those important and 
valuable works, Cecil furnace, where lay upwards of fifty pieces 
of elegant cannon, the only legitimate object of destruction which 
the invaders had yet met with. These they spiked, stuffed the 
muzzles with clay and broken pieces of iron, and knocked off the 
trunnions. Not content, however, with demolishing them and 
destroying other implements of war, tliey battered down the fur- 
nace, which was private property, set fire to the stables belonging 
to it, and as the last act of atrocity with which this expedition 
was destined to be marked, they tore up a small bridge con- 
structed over a deep, though narrow creek, and over which tra- 
vellers of every description were obliged to pass, or venture 
through a wider channel at the imminent hazard of their lives. 

Having attained all the objects of this enterprise, the British 
sailors and marines returned to their shipping in the bay ; and 
on the Gth they sailed from the neighbourhood of Havre de 
Grace, to the great joy of its distressed and ruined inhabitants. 
O'Neill, who had dared to resist them in the early stage of their 
proceedings, was taken on board the blockading fleet, and de- 
tained there several days. Such of the inhabitants as were not 
left entirely destitute, were deprived of those articles of property 
wdiicli could relieve others ; and it became necessary to apply 
for assistance to the principal and most opulent town of Mary- 
land. The citizens of Baltimore relieved the suflferers, and pre- 
parations were soon after made to rebuild the houses. 

In the relation of such scenes as those which occurred at 



ATTACK ON FREDERICK TOWN. 273 

Havre de Grace, it seldom happens that an account is to be given 
of the killed and wounded in an action. In the slight resist- 
ance which was made by O'Neill and his companions, however, 
the enemy had three men killed and t\vo wounded. Of the 
inhabitants, one man was killed by the explosion of a rocket. 

Fraught with the immense booty that he had brought away 
from Havre de Grace, and finding his sailors and marines to be 
elated at the facility which the prospect of an attack on other 
equally defenseless towns held out of enriching themselves, the 
rear admiral contemplated an early assault upon such as he should 
discover to contain the most valuable spoil. The treachery of 
some citizens of the republic, and the easy intercourse which he 
kept up with his appointed agents, such as are employed by 
officers on all stations, enabled him to discover the situation of 
those towns and villages along the bay shore with as much 
readiness, as he could be wafted by his ships from one point of 
assault to another. On the river Sassafras, emptying itself into 
the bay, at a short sailing distance from the admiral's anchorage, 
and separating the counties of Kent and Cecil, stood nearly 
opposite each other, the villages of Georgetown and Frederick- 
town, containing, either of them, about twenty houses. These 
had attracted the attention of Admiral Cockl^urn, and he deter- 
mined on the possession of the property of the inhabitants. On 
the 6th, he therefore entered that river, with eighteen barges, 
each carrying one great gun, and manned altogether by six 
hundred men. 

Fredericktown was his first object. At this place one small 
cannon had been mounted, and about eighty militia collected, 
under Colonel Veazy, on the approach of the barges. The 
latter commenced a heavy fire, and having discharged an im- 
mense number of langrage rockets, grape shot, and musket 
balls within a very few minutes, more than one-half of the militia 
fled. Thirty -five only, under the colonel, stood their ground, 
and worked the cannon with such skill, that the boats, whose 
fire was principally directed at the battery, suffered very severely. 
The invaders were gallantly resisted for more than half an hour, 
when they effected a landing, and marching towards the to\vn, 
compelled the militia to retire. Colonel Veazy effected his 

35 



r= 



274 DEPREDATIONS ON THE CHESAPEAKE. 

retreat in excellent order. Admiral Cockburn then marched at 
the head of his men to the village ; where, after having plundered 
the houses of their most valuable movables, he set fire to every 
buildinf in the town. The entreaties of the distressed women 
and children availed not with the admiral ; and he would not 
quit the place until he had entirely deprived them of every 
refuge. Whilst the flames were raging in every part of Fre- 
dericktown, the admiral moved over Sassafras river to George- 
town, and demolished all the stone, and burned the wooden 
buildings. The wretched inhabitants of the opposite towns 
were left to console each other, and tlie enemy's squadron of 
barges, glutted with fresh spoil, retired to their shipping. 

Succeeding this affair w^ere several repulses of small parties 
of the enemy from the shores of the bay. Many attempts were 
made to land at the different farms, and the barge crews fre- 
quently assailed the planters' houses and took off provisions, 
clothing, money, and plate. 

Aljout this time, too. Admiral Warren issued a proclamation 
from Bermuda, declaring, besides the Chesapeake and Delaware, 
the ports of New York, Charleston, Port Royal, Savannah, and 
the ^vhole of the river Mississippi to be in a state of rigorous 
blockade. From all these ports, however, notwithstanding the 
efficiency of Admiral Warren's force, the public ships of war of 
the United States, the private armed vessels, and numerous 
merchantmen were daily putting to sea. Prizes to these, which 
had been captured at immense distances from the coast, were 
continually sent into the harbours declared to l^e blockaded ; and 
neutral vessels did not hesitate to enter and depart at the plea- 
sure of those concerned in them. Admiral Warren shortly after 
arrived in the Chesapeake with an additional fleet, and a large 
nunflier of soldiers and marines under General Sir Sidney Beck- 
with. Between these officers and Admiral Cockburn various 
plans were designed for the attack of the more important assail- 
able towns. 

By the capture of the bny craft they were well supplied with 
tenders to the different vessels of the fleet ; and the strength of 
their armament enabled them to equip the craft in a warlike 
manner. The revenue cutter Surveyor, Captain Travis, was 



FORCE OF THE NORFOLK IMILITIA. 



277 



assailed hy the barges and tender of the Narcissus frigate, on 
the Kith of June, near York river ; and, after a gallant resistance, 
was captured by a force nine times superior to her own. This 
cutter was transferred to the British service, and frequently em- 
ployed in penetrating the narrow passes and rivulets along the 
shore. The depredations of the enemy, received about this time, 
however, a salutary check from several private armed vessels, 
which had been hired into the American service to cruise along 
the bay. 

N that quarter the enemy's force 
- consisted of seven seventy-fours, 
twelve frigates, and many smaller 
vessels; and from their suspi- 
cious movements and menacing 
attitudes, the citizens of all the 
surrounding towns became ap- 
prehensive of an attack. Hamp- 
ton and Norfolk were thought to 
be their more immediate objects ; 
and preparations were made 
at the latter to man all the works which had been pre- 
viously constructed. At Norfolk, the militia force very soon 
consisted of ten thousand men. At Hampton, a force of not 
more than four hundred and fifty men had yet been organ- 
ized. 

On the 18th three of the frigates entered Hampton roads, and 
despatched several barges to destroy the small vessels coming 
down James river. Two or three gun-boats being in the vicinity 
of that river, obliged the barges to retire, and communicated to 
the naval commander of the station. Commodore Cassin, intelli- 
gence of the approach of the frigates. The flotilla of gun-boats 
in Elizabeth river, on which Norfolk is situated, was then com- 
manded by Lieutenant-Commandant Tarbell. The frigate Con- 
stellation was moored at the navy-yard opposite Norfolk, and it 
was determined by Commodore Cassin to man fifteen of the 
gun-boats from the crew of the Constellation, and to despatch 
them against that frigate of the enemy, which was reported to 
be three miles ahead of the others. 

2 A 




278 NAVAL ACTIONS NEAR NORFOLK. 



On the lOth, Captain Tarbell proceeded with his boats in two 
divisions; Lieutenant Gardner having command of the first, 
and Lieutenant K. Henly of the second. The prevalence of 
adverse winds prevented his coming within reach of the enemy 
mitil four p. m. of the 20th, at which hour he stationed his divi- 
sions, and commenced a rapid fire at the distance of three-quar- 
ters of a mile. The frigate opened on the boats, and the can- 
nonade continued half an hour, to the great injury of the frigate, 
(the Junon,) when the other frigates were enaliled, by a fresh 
breeze, to get under way to the assistance of their companions. 
Captain Tarbell was then obliged to haul off to a greater dis- 
tance, still, however, keeping up a well-directed and incessant 
fire upon the enemy's whole squadron. The first frigate was by 
this time so much injured that her fire was only occasionally de- 
livered ; and, between the others and the gun-boats, the cannon- 
ade was prolonged one hour longer; in which time several 
heavy l^roadsides were discharged at the flotilla. Captain Tar- 
bell then withdrew from the engagement, with the loss of one 
killed, Mr. Allison, a master's mate, and three of the boats 
slightly injured. The enemy were supposed to have suffered 
severely. The frigate first engaged was so much shattered, that 
the vessels which came to her assistance, were obliged to employ 
all their hands to repair her. In this affair the Americans had 
fifteen guns ; the British one hundred and fifty and upwards. 
Captain Tarbell's conduct, as well as Lieutenants Gardner, 
Henly, and others, received the fullest approbation of the sur- 
rounding garrisons, and of the citizens of Norfolk. 

The firing during this action being distinctly heard by the 
enemy's fleet in the bay, and fears being entertained by the ad- 
miral about the safety of the three frigates, thirteen sail of the 
line of battle ships and frigates were ordered to proceed to Hamp- 
ton roads. In the course of the 20th, they dropped to the mouth 
of James river, where they learned the cause of the recent cannon- 
ade, and determined on forthwith reducing the forts and garrisons, 
on which the defense of Norfolk depended. 

An immense number of barges were apparently preparing for 
an attack on Crany island, the nearest obstruction to the enemy's 
advances. Captain Tarbell directed Lieutenants Neale, Shu- 



DEFENSE OF CRANY ISLAND. 279 

brick, and Saunders, each of the Constellation, to land one hun- 
dred seamen on that island, to man a battery on its north-west side, 
and disposed the gun-boats so as to annoy the enemy from the other. 

At the dawn of the 22d, the British approached the island with 
their barges, round the point of Nansemond river, to the number 
of about four thousand men, many of whom were French, from 
time to time made prisoners l^y the English, and occasionally re- 
ceived into their service. The place at which they had chosen 
to land w^as out of the reach of the gun-boats, and when they had 
approached within a few hundred yards of the shore, the gallant 
Lieutenant Neale, assisted by Shubrick and Saunders, opened 
a galling fire from his battery, and compelled the enemy to make 
a momentary pause. The battery was manned altogether by one 
hundred and fifty men, including Lieutenant Breckenridge and 
his marines. An eighteen-pounder which "was stationed at it, 
was fired with such precision, that many of the barges w^ere cut 
through the middle, and would inevitably have carried down the 
crew, but for the immediate assistance rendered by the others of 
the sguadron. Every attempt to approach the shore having here- 
tofore failed, and the admiral's boat, the Centipede, upwards of 
fifty feet in length, and filled with men, being pierced in so many 
places, that she sunk as soon as she was abandoned, the enemy, 
whose seamen were falling in every barge, determined on return- 
ing to his shipping with as little delay as possible. But, even in 
his retreat, he suffered severely from the small battery. 

Whilst this gallant resistance was made to his approaches from 
the water, by the naval division on the island, the enemy's troops, 
who had landed on the main shore, and crossed a narrow inlet to 
the west side, were warmly engaged with the Virginia volun- 
teers. Previously to the movement of the barges, upwards of 
eight hundred soldiers had been landed by the enemy at the place 
above mentioned, and were already crossing the inlet, which, at 
low water, is passable by infantry. Colonel Beatty, who com- 
manded the military division on the island, made instant and ju- 
dicious preparations to receive the enemy. Under Major Faulk- 
ner, of the artillery, two twenty-four-pounders and four six- 
pounders, had been drawn iip to resist them. One division of 
this battery was commanded by Captain Emmerson, and two 



280 DEFENSE OF CRANY ISLAND. 

Others by LieiUenants Howl and Godwin. The enemy's troops 
had not all landed wdien this cannon w^as opened upon them with 
great address ; and those which had not crossed the gulf, were 
compelled to retreat, by the velocity and precision of the fire. 
Those which had already gained the island, fell back to its rear, 
and threw several rockets from a house which stood there ; but 
they were very soon dislodged by one of the gun-boats, in which 
a twenty-four-pounder w^as brought to bear upon the house, and 
with great difficulty escaped from the island ; when, joining the 
troops who had been previously repulsed, they were all con- 
ducted back to the British fleet. 

When that division of the enemy which was composed of his 
seamen and marines, had been foiled in its attempt to land, Lieu- 
tenant Neale gave directions to his intrepid sailors to haul up the 
boats which had been sunk, and to assist the British sailors and 
marines, who were making for safety to the shore. The Centi- 
pede was accordingly drawn up, and a small brass three-pounder, 
a number of small arms, and a quantity of pistols and cutlasses, 
taken out of her. Twenty-two of her men came on the island 
with her, and surrendered themselves as deserters. In this warm 
and spirited engagement, in wdiich three thousand British 
soldiers, sailors, and marines, were opposed to four hundred and 
eighty Virginia militia, and one hundred and fifty sailors and 
marines ; the loss on the side of the invaders in killed, wounded, 
and drowned, was upwards of two hundred, exclusive of forty 
deserters ; on the side of the invaded, not a man was either killed 
or wounded. 

By the gallant services of the defenders of this island the safety 
of the town of Norfolk w^as, for a time at least, secured, and to 
the intrepid bravery and indefatigable exertions of Lieutenant 
Neale and his companions, Shubrick, Saunders, and Brecken- 
ridge ; of Lieutenant-Colonel Beatty and his officers, Major Faulk- 
ner, Captain Emmcrson, and Lieutenants Howd and Godwin, and 
two non-commissioned volunteers, Sergeant Young and Corporal 
Moffit, and the valiant men who assisted in the defense of the 
island, the gratitude of the citizens of Norfolk and the surround- 
ing towns, Portsmouth, Gosport, and others, has been frequently 
manifested. / 



EXPEDITION AGAINST HAMPTON. 281 

Immediately after this repulse of the British a conference was 
held between Admirals Warren and Cockburn, and Sir Sidney 
Beckwith : the result of which was a determination to re ventre 
the loss they had sustained, and to facilitate the success of their 
next attempt by cutting off the communication between the 
upper part of Virginia and the borough of Norfolk. This com- 
munication they supposed to be entirely commanded by the small 
garrison at Hampton, an inconsiderable town eighteen miles dis- 
tant from Norfolk, and separated from it by Hampton roads. 
Their troops, exasperated at the failure of the recent expedition 
against Crany island, were well disposed to retaliate the conse- 
quences of a repulse ; and their commanders availing themselves 
of the intemperate spirit which was manifested throughout the 
fleet, resolved on forwarding an expedition against this weak po- 
sition with the least possible delay. All things being ready upon 
their part, they proceeded on the 25th, three days after the late 
engagement, with upwards of two thousand men, in a large 
squadron of their principal barges. Of these, the 102d regiment, 
two companies of Canadian chasseurs, and three companies of 
marines composed the advance, under Lieutenant-Colonel Napier. 
The remainder of the troops consisted of royal marine battalions, 
under Lieutenant-Colonel Williams, the whole commanded by 
Sir Sidney. A number of launches and rocket-boats, filled with 
sailors, and covered by the sloop of war Mohawk, Captain Pe- 
chell, were commanded by Admiral Cockburn, and directed to take 
a station before the town to throw in the rockets and keep up a 
constant cannonade, whilst the troops under Sir Sidney should 
land at a distance of several miles below the town, and gain the 
rear of the undisciplined American militia. The plan of opera- 
tions being thus arranged, the movement w^as commenced at the 
dawn of day, and with this irresistible force and e(|uipmeiit the 
enemy proceeded to assault a garrison of three hundred and ibrty- 
nine infantry and rifle, sixty-two artillerymen, with four twelves 
and three sixes, and twenty-seven cavalry, making in all a force 
of four hundred and thirty-eight men. 

On the approach of that division of the enemy which was to 
attack from the water. Major Crutchlield, the commandant at 
Hampton, immediately formed his troops on Little England 

2 A 2 36 



•282 ATTACK ON HAMPTON. 



Plantation, which was divided from the town by a narrow creek, 
over which a slight bridge had been previously constructed. The 
enemy's barges were approaching this creek and keeping up a 
fire of round shot, until they gained Blackbeard Point, when the 
four twelve-pounders were opened upon them vvilh so much ef- 
fect, that Admiral Cockburn thought it advisable to draw back 
and shelter himself behind the point. Thence he continued to 
throw his rockets, and twelves and eighteens, nearly an hour, 
without doing the smallest injury to the encampment ; his shot 
either falling short of his object or going over it. 

Meantime Sir Sidney had landed and was coming down the 
great road on the rear of the Americans, when Major Crutchfield 
being apprized of his march, had despatched a rifle company 
under Captain Servant, to conceal themselves in a wood near 
which the invaders would be obliged to pass. Captain Servant 
executed his orders with the utmost precision, and annoyed the 
advancing British column with great severity. But his force was 
too inefficient to sustain a contest of any length of time, and Major 
Crutchfield seeing that the barges would not approach until they 
knew of the arrival of Sir Sidney within the camp, drew out the 
infantry forces to the aid of the riflemen, and to prevent the ene- 
my's cutting off his retreat. As this portion of the Americans 
were marching in column near a defile which led to Celey'sroad, 
they were fired upon by the enemy's musketeers from a thick 
wood at two hundred yards distance. Major Crutchfield imme- 
diately wheeled his column into line and marched towards the 
thicket to return the fire and rout the enemy. He had not ad- 
vanced fifty yards before the British delivered him a fire from 
two six-pounders, accompanied by an unexpected discharge of 
rockets. Being now apprized of the danger of proceeding ui that 
direction against ordnance with so small a force, he wheeled 
again into column and attempted to gain a passage through the 
defile in the woods, at the extremity of which Captain Servant 
with his riflemen had heretofore kept the British in continual 
check. His column, \inder the fire from the two sixes, was not 
formed with as much celerity as it had been displayed, but he 
succeeded at length in putting it in marching order, and pro- 
ceeded to the defile. Captain Cooper, with the cavalry, was at 



ATTACK ON HAMPTON. 283 



this moment engaged with the enemy's left flank, and notwith- 
standing the fatigue which his troops had already experienced in 
patrolling, he annoyed them so successfully, that the British 
general, augmenting the strength of that flank, issued a direction 
to cut him off. In this the enemy did not succeed, and Captain 
Cooper, drawing up his troops in a charging column, effected his 
retreat with great skill and intrepidity. 

The column under Major Crutchfield had now gained, and 
were passing through the defile, under a constant fire from the 
enemy's six-])ounders. It had just attained the wood, on the 
left of the riflemen, when a third six-pounder opened upon it, 
and in conjunction witli the others, threw into confusion the 
different companies of which the column w^as composed. Several 
platoons immediately took up their retreat ; hut those which 
were nearer the head of the column, led on by Major Crutchfield 
and Major Corbin, wdieeled with great judgment into the wood, 
and forming on the rifle corps, under their separate captains. 
Shield and Herndon, kept up the action wdtli an unflagging spirit, 
until it was deemed necessary for the whole body to retreat. 
Captain Pry or, who had been left in the encampment with the 
artillery, to continue the fire upon the enemy's barges, resisted 
their approaches until the sailors had landed in front of the 
town, and the British troops were in his rear. They had already 
advanced within sixty yards of his battery ; his corps were ready 
to yield themselves up as prisoners of war, and the royal marines 
w^ere preparing to take them. They saw no possibility of escap- 
ing, until their gallant commander gave an order to spike the 
gun's, and break through the enemy's rear. Intrepid as himself, 
they executed his commands ; and pressing furiously through 
the British marines, whom they threw into a temporary derange- 
ment, found their further escape obstructed by the creek. Cap- 
tain Pryor still determined on retiring beyond the enemy's reach, 
threw himself into the creek, and commanding his men to follow, 
with their carbines, effected the retreat of his corps in good 
order, and without an individual loss. Such was the disparity 
of force, when the barge crews and the troops of the enemy had 
effected a union, that the retreat of the whole American detach- 
ment became indispensable, and Major Crutchfield gave an order 



284 SACKING OF H A ]\I P T N. 

to that effect. The British general pursued tlie retreating- 
cohimn about two -miles, without effecting any purpose, though 
the latter frequently halted, formed behind fences, and delivered 
a smart lire. 

The American loss in this action amounted to seven killed, 
twelve wounded, eleven missing, and one prisoner — total, thirty- 
one. The Britisli loss, by the acknowledgment of mnny of their 
officers, amounted to ninety killed, and one hundred and twenty 
wounded — total, two hundred and ten. Among these were one 
colonel and one captain of marines, killed ; and three lieutenants, 
wounded. Admiral Warren's official letter, however, allows 1mt 
five killed, thirty-three wounded, and ten missing — total, forty- 
eiglit. 

If the account of the affair at Hampton could be closed, by 
no furtlier reference than to the gallantry of Captains Ashly, 
Gary, Miller, and Brown, of the militia; Captain Goodall, of the 
United States artillery, and Lieutenants Anderson, Armistead, 
and Jones, who were all conspicuously engaged in it, a painful 
recital would have been spared of occurrences disgraceful to the 
arms of the enemy, unjustified by the principles of civilized 
warfare, and unparalleled even by the enormities committed on 
the north-western frontier. The troops under Sir Sidney, and 
the sailors under Admiral Cockburn, no sooner found themselves 
in possession of the town of Hampton, than they indulged in a 
system of pillage, not less indiscriminate than that wdiich had 
attended the visit of most of the same men to Havre de Grace. 
To these acts of cruelty and oppression upon the unresisting and 
innocent inhabitants, they added others of the most atrocious 
and lawless nature, the occurrence of which has been proved by 
the solemn affirmation of the most respectable people of that 
country. Age, innocence, nor sex, could protect the inhabitants, 
whose inability to escape obliged them to throw themselves upon 
the mercy of the conquerors. The persons of the women were 
indiscriminately violated. The brutal desire of an abandoned and 
profligate soldiery were gratified, within the view- of those who 
alone possessed the power and authority to restrain them ; and 
many of the unfortunate females, wdio had extricated themselves 
from one party, were pursued, overtaken, and possessed by 



RETREAT OF THE BRITISH. 2^5 

another. Wives were torn from the sides of their A\'oiinded hus- 
bands ; mothers and daughters stripped of their clothing in the 
presence of each other ; and those who had fled to the river side, 
and as a h\st refuge had plunged into the water, with their infant 
children in their arms, were driven again, at the point of the 
bayonet, upon the shore, where neither their own entreaties and 
exertions, nor the cries of their offspring, could restrain the 
remorseless cruelty of the insatialjle enemy, who paraded the 
victim of his lust through the public streets of the town. An 
old man, whose infirmities had drawn him to the very brink of 
the grave, was murdered in the arms of his wife, almost as infirm 
as himself, and her remonstrance was followed bv the discharo-e of 
a pistol into her breast. The wounded militia who had crawled 
from the field of battle to the military hospital, were treated with 
no kind of tenderness, even by the enemy's officers, and the 
common wants of nature were rigorously denied to them. To 
these transcendant enormities, were added the wanton and pro- 
fligate destruction not only of the medical stores, but of the 
physician's drug-rooms and laboratories; from which only, those 
who Ijad been wounded in battle, and those upon whose persons 
these outrages had been committed, could ol)tain that assistance, 
without which, they must inevitably suffer the severest pri- 
vations. 

^Ifr^ i ^^^ (^^y^ ^nd nights were thus consumed 

^^^==, [^ Jg ^jll by the British soldiers, sailors, and marines, 

^^P^/^Y^3^^ ^^^^ their separate commanders were all 

^^^M^'T~f^/^^ ^^^'^^ ^^^^^^ quartered in the only house, the 

^^^^^^^^^^^^ furniture and interior decorations of which 

•^-^^^^^^^^^^^p escaped destruction. On the morning of 

"^^^^^^^^^^^^^ the 27tli, at sunrise, apprehensions being 

entertained of an attack from the neighbouring militia, whom, it 

was reasonably conjectured, the recital of these transactions would 

rouse into immediate action, the British forces were ordered 

to embark ; and, in the course of that morning, they departed 

from the devoted town, which will immemorially testify to the 

unprovoked and unrelenting cruelty of the British troops. They 

had previously carried off the ordnance which had been employed 

in the defense of the town, as trophies of their victory ; but, when 



286 ATROCIOUS CONDUCT OF BRITISH OFFICERS. 



they determined on withdrawing from the place, they moved 
away with such precipitation, that several hundred weight of 
provisions, a quantity of muskets and ammunition, and some of 
their men were left behind, and captured on the following day 
by Captain Cooper's cavalry. Having abandoned their intentions 
of proceeding to another attempt on the defenses of Norfolk, the 
wdiole fleet stood down to a position at New Point Comfort, where 
they proposed watering, previously to their departure from the 
bay, on an expedition against a town in one of the eastern states. 

Such was the agitation of the public mind throughout Vir- 
ginia, which succeeded the circulation of the account of the as- 
sault on Hampton, that representations were made to General 
Robert R. Taylor, the commandant of the district, of the neces- 
sity of learning from the commanders of the British fleet and 
army, whether the outrages which had been committed, would 
be avowed, or the perpetrators punished. That able officer im- 
mediately despatched his aid to Admiral Warren Avitli a cartel 
for the exchange of prisoners, and a protest against the proceed- 
ings of the British troops, in which he stated, that " tlie world 
would suppose those acts to have been approved, if not excited, 
which should be passed over with impunity ;" that he " thought 
it no less due to his own personal honour, than to that of his 
country, to repress and punish every excess;" that " it would de- 
pend on him (Warren) whether the evils inseparable from a state 
of war, should, in future operations, be tempered by the mildness 
of civilized life, or under the admiral's authority, be aggravated 
by all the fiend-like passions which could be instilled into them." 
To this protest Admiral Warren replied, that he would refer it to 
Sir Sidney Beckwith, to whose discretion he submitted the ne- 
cessity of an answer. Sir Sidney not only freely avowed, but 
justified the commission of the excesses complained of; and in- 
duced the American commander to believe the report of deserters, 
that a promise had been made to the fleet of individual bounty, 
of the plunder of the town, and of permission to commit the same 
acts, if they succeeded in the capture of Norfolk. 

Sir Sidney stated that ''the excesses at Hampton, of which 
General Taylor complained, 7vere occasioned hij a iwoceeding at 
Cranij island. That on the recent attack on that place the 



ATROCIOUS CONDUCT OF BRITISH OFFICERS. 287 



troops in a barge which had been sunk by the fire of the Ameri- 
can guns, had been fired on by a party of Americans, who waded 
out and shot these poor fellows while clinging to the wreck of the 
boat, and that with a feelimj 7iatural to such a proceeding the men 
of that corps landed at Hampton.''' The British general expressed 
also a wish that such scenes should not occur again, and that the 
subject might be entirely at rest. The American general, how- 
ever, alive to the reputation of the arms of his country, refused to 
let it rest, and immediately instituted a court of inquiry, composed 
of old and unprejudiced officers. The result of a long and care- 
ful investigation which was forwarded to Sir Sidney Beckwith, 
was that none of the enemy had been fired on after the wreck 
of the barge, except a soldier who had attempted to escape to that 
division of the British troops which had landed, that he was not 
killed, and that so far from shooting either of those unfortunate 
men, the American troops had waded out to their assistance. To 
this report Sir Sidney never deemed it necessary to reply, and 
the outrages at Hampton are still unatoned. Many of the un- 
happy victims died of wounds and bruises inflicted on them in 
their struggles to escape, which baffled the medical skill of the 
surrounding country. 




288 



EXPEDITION AGAINST PORTSMOUTH. 




CHAPTER XV. 




ELINQUISHING the contemplated attack 
upon one of the eastern ports, and adopting 
a plan of operations against the towns and 
harbours to the southward of those which had 
already Ijeen assailed, Admiral Warren de- 
tached the largest proportion of his fleet, 
under Rear-Admiral Cockburn, to proceed on an expedition 
ao-ainst Ocracoke and Portsmouth, two flourishincr harbours in 
the state of North Carolina. Early in July, a force of eleven 
sail appeared off the first of those places, and on the 13th of that 
month, the rear-admiral crossed the bar with a great number of 
barges, attacked two letters of marque, the Anaconda of New 
York, and the Atlas of Philadelphia, and after being gallantly 
resisted by the small crews of those vessels, carried them by 
Ijoarding. The revenue cutter, which was then in the harbour, 
effected her escape, conveyed intelligence to Newborn of the ap- 
proach of the enemy, and thus frustrated the remainder of the 
admiral's plans. About three thousand men were then landed 
at Portsmouth, where they destroyed the private property of the 
inhabitants, and treated the place witii no more forbearance than 
they had shown at Georgetown and Fredericktown. The col- 
lector of the customs was seized and taken on board the fleet, and 



CAPTURE OF THE ASP. 289 

the building destroyed in which his office was contained. After 
remaining two days in possession of these places, the enemy re- 
turned to his shipping, and not feeling himself competent to the 
attack on Newborn, now that its citizens were preparing to receive 
him, he departed with his squadron from Ocracoke, and sailed 
again for Chesapeake bay. 

The fleet, which had been keeping up the blockade in those 
waters, had been divided by Admiral Warren, and the different 
vessels distributed along the coast, from New London to Cape 
Henry, to watch the entrances to the harbours of Connecticut, 
New York, and the Delaware. In the Chesapeake, no further 
assaults were made upon the villages ; but the farmhouses, the 
neighbouring country seats, and the stock upon the lands, and 
the numerous islands which could be approached by the smallest 
barges, were indiscriminately plundered. Such islands were 
taken possession of as afforded quarters for the troops, and fre- 
([uent excursions made from them against the defenseless land- 
liolders, in their vicinity. 

N the 14th, the United States schooners Scorpion 
and Asp, being under way from the mouth of 
Yeocomico river, were pursued by two of the 
enemy's sloops of war, and, finding it impossible 
for both vessels to escape through the bay, the 
Scorpion continued her course, while the Asp, a dull 
sailing vessel, returned to the river, and was run into 
Kinsale creek by her commander, Sailingmaster Segourney. 
The enemy's vessels anchored near the bar, and despatched three 
barges, filled with armed men, to assault and carry her. As these 
were approaching, Mr. Segourney opened a well-directed fire, 
and compelled them, in a little time, to return. Reinforced, how- 
ever, by two other barges, manned in like manner, they again 
approached the schooner, and carried her by boarding, though 
obstinately resisted by her little crew, to whom they refused to 
show quarter. Her commander had been shot through the body 
by a musket ball, and was sitting on the deck against the mast, 
when they carried her, and brought down her colours. In this 
attitude, and suffering under the severity of his wound, he was, 
at that moment, animating his men to repel the boarders, when 

■ 2B 37 




290 THE YANKEE AND EAGLE. 

one of the British marines stepped up and shot him through the 
head. He expired instantly, and the next officer, Mr. M'Clintock, 
seeing what would be the probable fate of the whole crew, ordered 
his men to save themselves by flight. Those who had not pre- 
viously been wounded, reached the shore in safety; and the 
enemy having set fire to the schooner, returned to the squadron, 
though not before they had been fired upon by a collection of 
militia, who retook the vessel, and extinguished the flames. 

The Poictiers, seventy-four, still commanded by Sir John P. 
Beresford, had been stationed for several weeks at Sandy Hook, 
for the purpose of blockading the harbour of New York. Numbers 
of small vessels had been daily captured by her, and one of them, 
the sloop Eagle, w^as converted into a tender to the line of battle 
ship, manned with two officers and eleven marines, and equipped 
with a thirty-two brass howitzer. She was constantly employed 
in the pursuit and capture of the coasters, and had already com- 
mitted various depredations. Commodore Jacob Lewis, who com- 
manded a flotilla of thirty sail of gun-boats, determined on pro- 
tecting the fishing boats and river craft, by tlie capture of this 
tender. He accordingly hired a fishing smack called the Yankee, 
and placing about thirty men on board, under one of his sailing- 
masters, (Percival,) and, supplying him with several articles of 
live stock, gave him instructions to proceed from the hook in tlio 
direction of the banks, with liis armed men concealed in the cahin 
and fore peak. The sloop Eagle, upon discovering her at the 
hook, immediately gave chase; and, on seeing the live stock, 
ordered the man at the helm, Mr. Percival, who, witli two men 
only on deck, was dressed in the apparel of a fisherman, to steer 
for the seventy-four, then lying at a distance of five miles. The 
fishing smack had her helm immediately put up for that apjia- 
rent purpose, and, being by this means brought along side, and 
within three yards of the Eagle, her commander gave the signal, 
''Lawrence,'" and her men rushed up with such rapidity, and 
discharged so brisk and unexpected a fire, that the crew of the 
Eagle became panic-struck, and many of them ran below. Her 
commander Sailingmaster Morris, and one marine were killed, 
and Midshipman Price, and another mortally w^ounded. Per- 
civaVs men \\erc prepared for a second discharge, when a sailor 



BLOCKADE OF NEW LONDON. 291 

on the ei'^^my's deck was seen creeping to the howitzer with a 
lighte'd match, one of the crew of the Yankee levelled his mus- 
ket and shot him in the breast, and in a second after, the flag- of 
the Eagle came down. The sloop and the prisoners were then 
taken into the hook, and dehvered to the commodore, who pro- 
ceeded with them to New York, where Morris and Price, who 
died immediately after landing, w^ere buried by the naval and 
military authorities. Mr. Percival was promoted to the new 
sloop of war Peacock, and the brass howitzer was transferred to 
the quarter deck of the commodore's flag-boat. 

In consequence of Commodore Decatur's having proceeded with 
the frigates United States and Macedonian, and the sloop of war 
Hornet, through the sound to get to sea from the eastward, and 
of his having been driven with his squadron into New London 
hy a superior detachment of the enemy's ships, that port was 
rigorously blockaded by the Ramilies seventy-four, two frigates, 
and several smaller vessels, under Commodore Sir Thomas M. 
Hardy. Every effort to get to sea under the auspices of dark 
nights and favourable winds, having proved unavailing in conse- 
quence of the enemy's being continually apprized of the designs 
of the American commodore, he was blockaded for many months 
without a prospect of escaping, either by the ordinary channel or 
by the sound. Between detached parties from each squadron 
several affairs of minor importance took place during the block- 
ade, and in one of them Midshipman Ten Eyck, of the United 
States frigate, made prisoners of two lieutenants, two warrant 
officers, and five seamen, in a house on Gardner's island. In- 
cursions into the neighbouring states were frequent from the 
British forces; but though extensive numbers of shipping were 
destroyed, the conduct of the sailors and marines under Sir 
Thomas Hardy was not marked by the indiscriminate commis- 
sion of unrestrained and wanton outrage, of which there w^ere too 
many incidents on the coast to the southward, and the houses of 
the different villages, as well as individual property, were there- 
fore, almost invariably respected. The general deportment of 
Commodore Hardy was that of a brave, humane, and gallant 
enemy, and had his conduct been emulated by other command- 
ers, the horrors, and distressed conditions of a state of war would 



292 EXPEDITION TO SAYBROOK. 

have been ameliorated on both sides, and the necessity of many 
instances of retaUatory measures might never have existed. 

During the winter montlis of 1813-14, scarcely an event of 
consequence took place on any part of tlie coast, or at any of the 
shores of the bay and rivers in which the enemy's vessels were 
anchored. The town of Killingworth, alone, had an opportunity 
of repelling three or four distinct attempts to land, and of beating 
off superior numbers in British barges. 

Early in the spring of 1814, however, the enemy made several 
movements indicative of his intentions to pursue an active course 
of warfare. On the 7th of April about two hundred sailors and 
marines entered Connecticut river in a number of barges and 
landed at the town of Saybrook, where they spiked the guns at 
a small battery and destroyed many trading vessels. Thence 
they ascended the river to Brockway's ferry, destroyed all the 
shipping there, and amused themselves, without any apprehen- 
sions of an attack, upwards of twenty-four hours. In the mean 
time a body of militia had assembled, under command of a briga- 
dier-jreneral of Connecticut ; one hundred men and several field- 
pieces were stationed on the opposite shore, and two pieces and 
a party of men on the ferry side below ; Captain Jones, and Lieu- 
tenant-Commandant Biddle, of the Hornet, arrived with a detach- 
ment of sailors from the squadron ; and every thing was arranged 
for the capture of the whole party of the enemy. The success 
of the plan was inevitable ; the word only of the general com- 
mandino^ was waited for, and as he was making other arranore- 
ments than those adopted by these experienced officers, the enemy 
drifted down the river, with muffled oars, under cover of a dark 
night, cheered loudly when they had passed the town of Say- 
brook, and escaped to the squadron after destroying two hundred 
thousand dollars worth of shipping. Several shot were fired after 
them, but without effect. 

About this time the Liverpool Packet privateer was cruising, 
with great success, against the American commerce in the sound, 
and had already annoyed the coasting trade to an enormous ex- 
tent. Unless this cruiser was driven from the sound no coaster 
could sail from one port to another, with any assurance of safety. 
Commodore Lewis determined on an expedition against her. He 



COMMODORE LEWIS'S EXPEDITION. 293 

sailed with a detachment, consisting of thirteen of his gun-boats, 
drove the privateer from the mouth of the harbours in the sound, 
and proceeded to Black Rock, New Haven, and Saybrook. 

At the latter place he anchored on the 23d of May, and found 
upwards of forty sail of coasting vessels lying there, bound 
eastward, but the masters of wdiich were fearful of the privateer 
and the enemy's barges. The commodore w^as applied to for 
convoy ; and, though he knew not wdiether he could yield any 
kind of protection against a frigate, a corvette, and an armed 
sloop, at that moment in the passage before New^ London, he 
took the coasters under convoy, and agreed to throw himself be- 
tween them and the enemy. On the 25th he accordingly sailed 
with the convoy bound for New^ London, and at 5 p. m. came to 
action with a frigate, a sloop of w^ar, and a tender, and continued 
the engagement until all the coasters had safely passed the ene- 
my and arrived at New London. This being done, although 
the whole object of his attack was achieved. Commodore Lewis 
determined upon trying the further effect of his hot shot. The 
boats were each supplied wdth a furnace ; and, whilst they 
were pouring hot balls into the enemy's sides, and frequently 
setting him on fire, they received in return, scarcely a shot from 
either of his vessels. Gun-boat No. 6 w^as alone injured ; and, 
being struck between wind and water, was immediately grounded, 
to prevent her sinking. 

The sloop of war had by this time withdrawn from the engage- 
ment ; and the fire of the gun-boats w^as principally directed 
ao^ainst the frigate. She was observed several times to be on 
fire ; one shot passed through her very near the magazine, seven- 
teen of her men w^ere already killed, and a lieutenant and a great 
number of men wounded ; and the captain w^as on the point of 
surrendering, when he discovered that the gun-boats had ceased 
firing. The night closed in immediately, w^as excessively dark, 
and the commodore found himself obliged to anchor his boats, 
and reconnoiter the enemy until next morning. He intended 
to board the sloop, but she was stationed between the two ships, 
and that project was therefore useless. At daylight, observing the 
enemy fowling away their vessels and retreating, he instantly 
made signal for pursuit ; but the report of the cannonade had 

2b2 



294 UTILITY OF GUN-BOATS. 

brought tlie whole British force, consisting of seven large sail, 
to their assistance, and the commodore abandoned his intention 
of renewing the action, and proceeded up the sound to New 
York, with the enemy in his rear, as far as Faulkner's island. 
The loss on board the flotilla was one man, by the recoiling of 
a gun. The frigate was supposed to be the Maidstone of thirty- 
eight, and mounting forty-nine guns ; but several sailors who 
deserted from her and were in this action, reported her to be the 
Hotspur of the same force. The consequences of this engage- 
ment, and that which took place below Crany island, have oc- 
casioned much speculation about the utility of gun-boats. In 
each instance it was undoubtedly proved, that, under such cir- 
cumstances as attended them, the gun-boats are capable of great 
annoyance to the largest ships of war. Commodore Lewis, whose 
activity and enterprise rendered him of all other men capable 
of manoeuvcrinn- them to advantag-e, saved an immense amount 
of property to the mercantile interest of the country, by his re- 
peated cruises with them in and near the sound. 

But the operations of the immense naval armaments, which 
were maintained by the enemy before the ports of New York, 
Boston, New London, and the entrance to the sound, were not 
to be cliecked by a flotilla of boats, however well appointed, 
consisting in all of but thirty sail ; and the whole eastern coast 
was therefore exposed to the ravages of the invaders. The towns 
and villages there were as exposed and defenseless as those to 
the south ; but a degree of forbearance was manifested l^y the 
commander on this station, which prevented the com.mission of 
such extensive depredations. Yet an insatiable thirst for plun- 
der, induced many of the British cruisers to seek the destruction 
of every species of public property, of the most flourishing manu- 
facturing establishments, and of vessels carrying on a trade be- 
tween the eastern and other ports; and the cupidity of the sailors 
and marines frequently led to the sequestration of private pro- 
perty. At the towns of Wareham and Scituate, they burned all 
the vessels at their moorings ; and at the former, which they ap- 
proached under a flag of truce, they set fire to an extensive cot- 
ton manufactory. But at a place called Boothbay, they met 
Avith a spirited opposition ; and in several desperate attacks, re- 



CATTURE OF MOOSE ISLAND. 295 

peated on different days, and with various numbers, they were 
repulsed with considerable loss, by the militia of the neiglibour- 
hood. 

About the month of July the blockading squadron, under Sir 
Thomas Hardy, received instructions to assail and take posses- 
sion, in his Britannic majesty's name, of Moose island, near the 
mouth of the Kobbeskook river, opposite to the province of New 
Brunswick, and on the western side of Passamaquoddy bay. This 
bay was adjudged, by the British ministers, to be within the 
boundary of their possessions in North America , and after the 
capture of Moose island, their forces were directed to occupy all 
the towns and islands within its limits. On the 1 1th of that month, 
Sir Thomas proceeded with the Ramilies, seventy-four, one 
sixty-gun ship, three sloops-of-war, and three transports, con- 
taining between fifteen hundred and two thousand troops, with 
an intention of surprising the town of Eastj)ort, containing about 
one thousand inhabitants, and situated upon Moose island. 

Against this force, no kind of opposition could be made by a 
small garrison, containing but fifty-nine men, forty-eight of whom 
only were effectives; and Major Putnam did not attempt to 
molest the troops, who had already landed. Formal possession 
was then taken of the whole island ; the officers in the garrison 
paroled, the privates conveyed to the squadron, the fort, which 
then mounted but six small cannon, enlarged, refitted, and the 
battery extended to sixty pieces ; and a proclamation issued by 
Sir Thomas Hardy and Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Pillvington, 
in which they declared all the islands to have been surrendered 
by the capture of Eastport; allowed seven days residence to 
such inhabitants as should refuse to swear allegiance to his 
Britannic majesty ; and appointed a day on which they were to 
assemble for that purpose. About two-thirds of the people sub- 
mitted to these terms, under an expectation of retaining their 
])rivilcges ; but, in the month of August, the province of New 
Brunswick, in council, ordered that the inhabitants of Moose 
island should not be entitled to the rights of their other subjects, 
notwithstanding their oath of allegiance ; but that they should 
be treated as a conquered people, and placed under the control 
of the military authority. Eastport was soon after well fortified, 



•296 DEFENSE OF STONINGTON. 



and remained in possession of the British until the conclusion 
of the war ; before which period, however, their garrison was 
frequently weakened by desertions of large bodies of their troops ; 
the officers were often compelled to perform the duties of senti- 
nels ; and the difficulties of subsisting the army and the people 
daily increasing by the extreme scarcity of provisions. 

Having thus secured the possession of Moose island, and pro- 
vided for its defense against any attempt to recover it by the 
Americans, Sir Thomas sailed to his old station, before New 
London. On the 9th of August he made signal for the Pactolus 
frigate, forty-four, the Terror bomb ship, and the Despatch brig 
of twenty guns, to weigh anchor, and sail with the Ramilies to 
the attack of the town of Stonington, which the commodore had 
been ordered to reduce to ashes. The appearance of this for- 
midable force before a town, wdiich possessed but w^eak and 
inadequate means of defense, excited an alarm among the 
inliabitants, which the message of Commodore Hardy, to move 
off the unoffending people of the place, w^as not calculated to 
subdue. But, having complied with the terms of the commo- 
dore's note, and disposed of the women and children, they re- 
]Daired to a small battery, which had been erected, a few waudvs 
before, and in which were mounted two eighteen-pounders and 
one six. Those who had been drilled as artillerists were sta- 
tioned at these pieces; the flag was nailed to a staff, and a 
small breastwork, which had been hastily thrown up, was lined 
with musketry. 

Thus arranged, the handful of militia belonging to Stonington 
awaited the approach of the enemy with painful anxiety. Ex- 
presses were forwarded to General Gushing, of the United States 
army, commanding at New London, for a supply of men and 
ammunition ; and, to the neighbouring districts, for a hasty levy 
of militia. 

At eight in the evening, five barges and a large launch, filled 
with men, and armed with nme-pounder carronades, approached 
the shore, under cover of a heavy fire of round, canister, and 
grape shot, and a discharge of shells, carcasses, and rockets. The 
Americans, reserving their fire until the barges were within 
short grape distance, opened their two eighteen-pounders upon, 



DEFENSE OF STONING TON. 297 

and compelled them to retire out of reach of the battery. The 
enemy then attempted to land at the east end of the town, at a 
point which they supposed to be the most defenseless. This 
being discovered by the militia artillerists, the six-pounder was 
immediately transported to that side of the town, and the barges 
were a second time compelled to retire. They returned to their 
shipping, with a determination to renew their attack with more 
vigour at the dawn of the following morning. The bombardment, 
nevertheless, continued until midnight. 

Before morning the enemy's squadron w^as augmented by the 
arrival of the Nimrod, eigh teen-gun brig, and at the dawn of day 
the different vessels were stationed nearer to the town, the 
Despatch being within pistol-shot of the battery. The barges 
approached the shore in larger numbers and met with as signal 
a repulse as on the preceding night. One of them was shattered 
to pieces by the four-pounder on the east side of the town, whilst 
a cannonade was kept up between the eighteen-pounder battery 
and the gun-brig, which resulted in her expulsion from her an- 
chorage She had received several shot between wind and 
water, and was obliged to haul off and repair ; the barges again 
returned to the shipping, and the five vessels drifted out of reach 
of the battery, made new anchorage, and continued to bombard 
the town during that and the following day. On the 12th Com- 
modore Hardy, relinquishing any further attempt to reduce the 
town to ashes, and having already lost twenty-one men killed, 
and upwards of fifty wounded, ordered his squadron to weigh 
anchor and proceed up Fisher's island sound. The inhabitants 
of Stonington were released from their apprehensions about the 
safety of their dwellings, and the women and children, some time 
after, restored to their homes. 

Notwithstanding the bombardment had been protracted to 
three successive days, and upwards of sixty tons of metal had 
been thrown upon the shore, not a man of the militia was killed, 
and the number of wounded did not exceed six. Among them was 
Lieutenant Hough, who, as well as Colonel Randal and Lieutenant 
Lathrop, greatly contributed, by their activity and skill, to the 
repulse of the enemy. Stonington contained, at the time of the 
attack, about one hundred houses; forty of these were injured by 

33 



298 



VILLAGES OGCUriED BY THE BRITISH. 




the shot — but ten only materially — and but two or three entirely 
destroyed. 

OT content with possessing Moose island, and 
other islands of the bay, the British claimed, 
as a colony, all that part of the district of 
Maine lying to the west of, and between Pe- 
nobscot river and Passamaquoddy bay, and 
instructions were also forwarded to Sir John 
C. Sherbrooke, the governor of Nova Scotia, 
and Rear-Admiral Griffith, commanding the naval forces within 
that province, to take possession of all that territory. These 
commanders entered the Penobscot river on the 1st of Septemljer ; 
appeared before Castine, from wdiich the garrison fled, after blow- 
ing up the fort, and which the British immediately occupied. A 
proclamation was then issued by the governor and the admiral, 
in which they claimed as the territory of his Britannic majesty, 
that part of the province of Maine east of the Penobscot, in whicli 
there were more than forty villages, and upwards of thirty thou- 
sand inhabitants. After possessing Castine many of these villages 
were gradually occupied, and ordinances were established for the 
civil and military government of the people. Castine, also, 
remained in the hands of the enemy until the conclusion of hos- 
tilities. 

The United States frigate Adams, Captain Morris, had arrived 
in the Penobscot from a successful cruise, a few days before the 
occupation of Castine, and having run upon the rocks near that 
port, was obliged to be hove down at Hampden, thirty-five miles 
up the river, to have her damages repaired. On the 3d of Sep- 
tember the British sloop of war Sylph of twenty-two guns, the 
Peruvian of eighteen, and one transport and ten barges, ascended 
the river, manned in all with about one thousand men from Castine, 
under command of Commodore Barrie, with a determination to 
capture the frigate. Captain Morris erected several batteries on 
eminences near his vessel, supplied the militia, who were with- 
out arms, with the ship's muskets, and made every preparation to 
repulse the enemy. Notwithstanding these judicious arrange- 
ments, and the readiness of the ship's crew to resist the enemy's 
attempts, the militia could not be Ijrought to oppose an inferior 



ESCAPE OF CAPTAIN MORIIIS. 



299 



number of British regulars ; and, iiying precipitately from the 
ground, left no other alternative to Captain Morris than to sur- 
render his crew, or destroy the Adams and retreat to Bangor or 
Kennebeck. Under the direction of Lieutenant Wadsworth of 
the ship, the sailors and marines retired in good order over a 
bridge which crossed a deep creek ; but Captain Morris and a 
few men who remained to set fire to the vessel, having succeeded 
in blowing her up, was cut off from this retreat, and compelled 
to plunge into the river and eflect his escape hj swimming. Dis- 
appointed in the object of their expedition, the British returned 
to Castine, and conducted an incursive warfare against the towns 
in the vicinity of that port. 




300 



CRUISE OF THE ARGUS. 




in a©ll©a 

^ HE government of the United States having 
deemed it expedient, in the spring of 1813, 
to send an ambassador to France, at which 
court they were not then represented ; the 
American ffun-brifj Ars^us, Lieutenant-Com- 
mandant WiUiam H. Allen, of eighteen 
guns, was despatched to L' Orient with Mr. 
Crawford, the minister-plenipotentiary ap- 
pointed to negotiate a treaty of commerce 
with that power. After having landed tlie 
minister she was ordered to cruise in the 
vicinity of the British channel, whci'e she 
arrived about the middle of June, and continued to cruise until 
the same time in August. During this period she captured in 
St. George's channel upwards of twenty vessels, coasters and 
others, and excited a great degree of alarm among the towns upon 
the English coast. In consequence of her activity in making 
captures, and the danger to British vessels in passing through the 
channel, the insurance upon coasters could no longer be obtained 
in England, but at an amount very far exceeding the double pre- 
mium ; and though numerous vessels of war, of all rates and de- 
scriptions were floating at the docks, the Argus was allowed to 
maintain her cruise in this neighbourhood for two full months. 
Tlie attention of the admiralty was at length, however, awakened; 
and, on tlie 12th of August, the sloop of war, the Pelican, Cap- 
tain J. F. Maples, of twenty-one carriage guns, was ordered to 
cruise in search of the hostile stranijer. On the i4th, at four a. i\i. 



CRUISE OF THE ARGUS. 



301 




t. ruise of tlie Argus. 

by the light of a schooner then on fire, the two vessels \vere 
brought in sight of each other. The Argus immediately close 
hauled on the starboard tack, and made preparations to receive 
the enemy. Failing in every attempt to obtain the weather 
gage, Captain Allen, at half-past five, shortened sail, and waited 
for the Pelican to close. A few minutes afterwards, the Pelican 
displayed her colours ; the Argus hoisted the American flag, wore 
round, and within grape distance, gave her a larboard broadside; 
which being returned, the action commenced within the ran^-e 
of musketry. At the first fire from the Pelican, Captain Allen 
fell. He w^as wounded severely in the leg, but remained on deck 
until several broadsides were exchanged ; when, beino- quite ex- 
hausted by the excessive loss of blood, he yielded the command 
of the Argus to Lieutenant Watson, and was taken below. INlean- 
time the Pelican shot away the main braces, the spring stay, o-afF, 
and trysail-mast, of the Argus. At twelve minutes past six, her 
spritsail-yard, and most of the standing rigging on the larboard 
side of the foremast, were lost; and Lieutenant Watson received 
a wound in the head, which made it necessary that he also 
should be carried below. The command of the Argus now 
devolved on Lieutenant William H. Allen Jr., mIioso unremitted 
exertions frequently defeated the enemy's attempts to get into a 

rakmg position. At sixteen minutes past six, the Pelican edged 
2 c 



302 SURRENDER OF THE ARGUS. 

off, with an intention of getting under the stem of the Argus, but 
Lieutenant Allen, by luffing close to, with his main topsail aback, 
and giving her a raking broadside, completely frustrated this at- 
tempt. But, in two minutes after, she shot away the preventer 
main braces and main topsail of the Argus, deprived her of the 
use of her after sail, and thus causing her to fall off before the 
wind, succeeded in passing her stern, and ranged up on her star- 
board side. At twenty-five minutes past six, the Argus having 
lost her wheel ropes and running rigging of every description, 
became entirely unmanageable ; and the Pelican, not Ijeing ma- 
terially damaged, had an opportunity of choosing her position. 
She continued her fire on the starboard quarter of the Argus, 
until half-past six, when Lieutenant Watson returned to the 
deck, and made preparations to board the enemy. The sliattered 
condition of the brig rendered that effort impossible ; and the 
Pelican took a position on her stern, and gave her a raking fire 
for eight minutes, when she passed up, and placing herself on 
the starboard bow, continued a raking fire there until forty- 
seven minutes past six. All this while the commander of the 
Argus wp^s endeavouring, without effect, to bring her guns to 
bear ; and, having nothing but musketry to oppose to the galling 
and effective fire of the enemy, he determined on surrendering 
the brig : a measure, which, in consequence of the loss of several 
officers and many of the men, of the shattered state of the hull 
and rigging, and of the impossibility, under these disadvantages, 
of getting otherwise out of the combat, he would have been 
warranted in adopting much sooner. At the moment her flag 
came down, the Pelican was pressing to board her ; and, being 
close along side, immediately took possession. Her loss amounted 
to six killed, and seventeen wounded ; five of the latter died soon 
after the engagement. The loss of the Pelican was three men 
killed, and five only wounded. 

Captain Allen submitted to an amputation of his leg, but every 
means of restoration to his health proved ineffectual ; and, on 
the 18th, three days after the action, he expired in Mill Prison 
hospital, whence he and Midshipmen Delphy, who had both his 
legs shot from his body, at the same instant, and Edwards were 
buried with the usual honours of war. 



ENTERPRISE AND BOXER. 303 



Several United States sloops of war were, about this period, 
upon the stocks ; and, it being necessary that their building and 
equipment should be superintended by experienced naval officers, 
commanders were assigned to them, previously to their being 
launched into their destined element. To restore to the American 
naval list the name of a vessel which had been captured by a 
superior force, after the moment of victory over another vessel, 
one of these was ordered to be called the Wasp, and the com- 
mand given to Lieutenant-Commandant Blakely, at that time of 
the gun-brig Enterprise.* 

By this transfer the command of the latter vessel devolved on 
Lieutenant-Commandant Burrows, to wdiom instructions had 
been given for a cruise from Portsmouth. On the 1st of Sep- 
tember he sailed from that place, steered to the eastward, and on 
the 3d discovered and chased a schooner into Portland, wdiere 
he gained intelligence of several privateers being off Manhagan, 
and immediately stood for that place. 

The British gun-brig the Boxer, of fourteen guns and nearly one 
hundred men, had beentitted up at St. Johns, (New Brunswick,) 
for the purpose of a combat with the Enterprise, mounting the 
same number of guns, and very nearly the same number of men. 
To the crew of the Boxer, however, a detachment was added 
from the Rattler, upon her arrival on the United States coast. 
On the morning of the 5th, the Enterprise, in the bay near Pen- 
guin Point, discovered the Boxer getting under way, and gave 
chase to her. The Boxer fired several guns, stood for the En- 
terprise, and hoisted four ensigns. Captain Burrows having 
ascertained her character, stood out of the bay to obtain sea- 
room ; and, followed by the Boxer, he hauled upon a wind until 
three p. 3i. At that hour he shortened sail, and in twenty mi- 
nates the action commenced wdthin half pistol-shot. At the first 
broadside, Captain Blythe was killed hy a cannon shot through, 
his body ; and in a moment afterwards Captain Burrows fell by 



* The Enterprise is the same vessel which, in 1801, was a schooner, in the Mediter- 
ranean, commanded by Lieutenant Sterrett. Under that officer, slie enjrajjed and cap- 
tured in August of that year, during the Tripolitan war, the ship of war Tripoli, of four- 
teen guns and eighty-live men. In this engagement, she lost not a single man; whilst 
her antagonist had fifty of her crew killed and wounded. 



304 ENTERPE,ISE AND BOXER. 

a musket ball. The command of the two vessels during the 
whole engagement was therefore mamtained by the lieutenants. 
Captain Burrows refused to quit the deck, and at four p. m. re- 
ceived the sword of Captain Blythe, from the hands of Lieute- 
nant M'Call ; expressed his satisfaction at the manner of his 
death, and expired about eight hours afterwards. The colours 
of the Boxer had been nailed to tlie mast, and her first officer 
was therefore ol)liged to hail Lieutenant M'Call, to inform him 
of her surrender before it was known that she was vanquished. 
She was immediately taken possession of and carried into Port- 
land, with her masts, sails, and spars cut to pieces ; and with 
twenty eighteen-pound shot in her hull. The number of her 
killed and wounded could not be ascertained, no papers being 
on board by which the strength of her crew could be known. 
Her officers admitted the loss of twenty-five killed, and fourteen 
wounded. The rigging of the Enterprise was much cut with 
grape shot, but her hull was not materially damaged. Her loss 
was one killed and thirteen wounded ; among the latter, the 
captain and carpenter's mate, mortally. Lieutenant Tilling- 
hast and Midshipman Waters, the latter of whom was severely 
wounded, behaved with coolness and determination ; and Lieu- 
tenant M'Call who succeeded his gallant captain, sustained the 
reputation of the navy by his conduct throughout the action. 

On their arrival at Portland, the bodies of the deceased com- 
manders were deposited with the usual military ceremonies ; 
and tlie prisoners were soon after removed to the interior. Both 
vessels were repaired with the utmost despatch ; and the Boxer 
being considered the superior vessel, w^as ordered by the Presi- 
dent of the United States to be delivered up for the benefit of 
the captors, and bought from them into the service. 

By the fall of these young officers, Captains Allen and Bur- 
rows, the naval service experienced a heavy and almost irretriev- 
able loss. Captain Allen had distinguished himself in a gallant 
manner, in the action with the Macedonian, at wliich time he 
was first officer to Commodore Decatur ; and, not long after, re- 
ceived the approbation of his government hy a promotion to the 
rank of a master-commandant, and to the command of the Argus. 
He sustained the reputation of a brave and courteous man, an 



r 



COIMMODORE RODGER S. 



305 




Captain Alleiv 

accomplished seaman, and a friend of unswerving integrity. 
Captain Burrows, whose intrepidity and fortitude instigated him 
to remain on the decl; of his vessel, in the agonies of death, until 
he knew of the surrender of the enemy, possessed these inesti- 
mable qualities in no less a degree. The loss of such men was 
a fruitful source of sorrow to those who had been their com- 
panions in arms, and to those who looked up to them for exam- 
ples of usefulness and heroism. 

Between this period and the commencement of the year 1814, 
the cruises of the ships of war of the United States were not 
attended by any of those brilliant achievements by which they 
had previously, and have since that time, been marked. In the 
month of February of that year, the frigate President returned 
from a cruise of about seventy days. At the entrance to Sandy 
Hook, after having passed the lighthouse. Commodore Rodgers 
found himself in the neighbourhood of three large men-of-A^-ar, 
the nearest being the Plantagenet, seventy-four, Captain Lloyd. 



c 2 



3'J 



306 CATTAIN Stewart's cruise. 

Being well assured of an attack from one or all of the enemy's 
vessels, he cleared ship for action; and, though his capture was 
inevitable, he determined not to lose the President, until he 
could no longer fight her. In consequence of the wind and tide 
being both unfavourable, he was compelled to remain in his 
situation seven hours, before either of them enabled him to cross 
the bar ; and, in all that time, to his great astonishment, ajid to 
the surprise and mortification of the prisoners on board, no dis- 
position was manifested to attack the President, though her 
character was known, and she fired a gun to windward, to signity 
her willingness to fight, since there was no apparent possibility 
of escaping. The tide having changed, Commodore Rodgers 
])roceeded to New York; and Captain Lloyd, after returning to 
England, accounted for his conduct by alleging a mutiny in his 
ship, and had several of his sailors tried and executed upon that 
charge. 

In the succeeding month of April, the Constitution frigate, 
commanded by Captain Charles Stewart, was also returning 
from a cruise commenced on the first of January. On her arrival 
on tlie coast, she was pursued by two British frigates and a 
brig, and chased into Marblehead. The excellent seamanship 
of her commander enabled her, with difficulty, to escape ; and 
she reached Salem without injury. During her cruise, slie cap- 
tured the British public schooner Pictou ; and fell in with the 
frigate La Pique, Captain Maitland, who fled on the approach 
of tlie Constitution. No effort was left untried by Captain 
Stewart to overtake and bring her to action, but she escaped in 
the night, after a long chase; and Captain Maitland, on his 
arrival in England, was complimented by the admiralty, for his 
strict observance of his instructions, in flying from an American 
frigate. 

Repeated opportunities were about this time given to the 
enemy's squadron off Sandy Hook, to engage the gun-boat 
flotilla. A schooner had been driven ashore; and numbers of 
barges, well manned and armed, were despatched to take pos- 
session of her ; Ijut Commodore Lewis ordered a detachment of 
his sailors to land and protect her. With a small field-piece, 
and their small arms, they beat off the enemy, launched the 



CAPTAIN porter's CRUISE. 307 

schooner, and carried her to her destined port, New York. A 
month afterwards, the Belvidere chased the brig Regent, laden 
with an immensely valuable cargo, close into the hook ; when 
the commodore, whose station was constantly at that point, 
immediately gave signal for a detachment of his flotilla to follow 
him ; and placing himself, with eleven sail, between the frigate 
and the chase, prevented her capture ; and fired upwards of lifty 
shot at the frigate, which stood off, without returning the Are. 

In a preceding chapter of this work, an account is given of 
a plan of a cruise in the South Seas, by a squadron composed 
of the Constitution, the Essex, and the Hornet, under Commo- 
dore Bainbridge. This cruise was broken up by the engage- 
ments of the Constitution and the Horiiet ; and as neither of those 
vessels was found by the Essex, at either of the appointed ren- 
dezvous. Captain Porter obtained such additional provisions as 
were necessary for a long cruise. He had received intelligence 
of the victory over the Java, and had been informed that the 
Montague had captured the Hornet. He therefore determined 
on prosecuting the original cruise with the Essex alone. 

Previously to his departure from the rendezvous on the coast 
of Brazil, he captured the British packet Nocton, took out of 
her eleven thousand pounds sterling in specie, and ordered her 
with liieutenant Fmch to the United States. He then shaped 
his course for the Pacific, arrived at Valparaiso on the 14th of 
March, 1813, provisioned himself there, and running down the 
coast of Chili and Peru, fell in with a Peruvian corsair, on board 
of which were twenty-four Americans, detained as prisoners. 
Captain Porter immediately threw the guns of the corsair over- 
board, deprived her of all her warlike implements, released the 
Americans, and recaptured, near Lima, one of the vessels in which 
they had been taken. From Lima he proceeded to the Galli- 
pagos islands, where he cruised from April until October ; and 
in that time captured twelve armed British whale ships. The 
Montezuma, of two guns and twenty -one men ; the Policy of ten 
guns and twenty-six men; the Georgiana, of six guns and twenty- 
five men ; the Greenwich, of ten guns and twenty-five men ; the 
Atlantic, of eight guns and twenty-four men ; the Rose, of eight 
guns and twenty-one men; the Hector, of eleven guns and twenty- 



308 



CAPTAIN PORTER .S CRUISE. 




Capt-iin I'orttr b tiuise in tlie Parific. 



five men ; the Catherine, of eight guns and twenty-nine men ; 
the Seringapatam, of fourteen guns and thirty-one men ; the 
Charhon, of ten guns and twenty-one men ; the New Zealander, 
of eight guns and twenty-three men ; and the Sir Andrew Ham- 
mond, of tw^elve guns and thirty-one men ; making in all one 
hundred and seven guns and three hundred and two men, and 
the total amount of tonnage, three thousand four hundred and 
fifty-six. Many of these vessels were pierced for eighteen, 
twenty, and twenty-six guns, and Captain Porter equipped 
several of them, and commissioned them as United States cruisers 
and store ships. The Atlantic he called the Essex Junior, 
equipped her with twenty guns, and assigned his first officer. 
Lieutenant Downes, as her commander. This officer conveyed 
such of the prizes as were to be laid up to Valparaiso. Here he 
learned that a British, squadron, consisting of one frigate, two 
sloops of war, and a store ship of twenty guns had sailed for the 
Pacific, in quest of the Essex, and he immediately returned to 
Captain Porter with this intelligence. 

The Essex had now been one year at sea, and, as she required 
many repairs. Captain Porter proceeded to the island of Nooa- 
heevah, or Madison's island, lying in the Washington groupe ; 
where he completely repaired the Essex ; and, having secured 
three of his prizes under the guns of a battery which he had 
previously erected, and manned with twenty-one marines, under 
Lieutenant Gamble of that corps, sailed for the coast of Chili 



BLOCKADE OF THE ESSEX. 309 



on the 12th of December, and arrived there on the 12th of Janu- 
ary, 1814. He then looked into Conception and Valparaiso, 
where he learned that the squadron of \vhich lie had been in- 
formed by Lieutenant Downes, was conjectured to have been 
lost in doubling Cape Horn. He nevertheless continued in the 
neighbourhood of Valparaiso, and Avas anchored in that port with 
the Essex Junior, when Conunodore Hillyar, of the frigate 
Phoebe of thirty-six guns, mounting (thirty long eighteens, six- 
teen thirty-two-pound carronades, and one howitzer, on her decks, 
and six three-pounders in her tops) fifty-three guns, and having 
a complement of three hundred and twenty men; accompanied 
by the Cherub sloop of war. Captain Tucker, of (eighteen thirty- 
two-pound carronades, eight twenty-fours, and two long nines) 
twenty-eight guns, and one hundred and eighty men, arrived at 
Valparaiso. The Essex, which mounted (forty thirty-two 
pound carronades, and six long twelves) forty-six guns, and had 
her crew reduced by prizes to two hundred and fifty-five men ; 
and the Essex Junior, which was not competent to resist a sloop 
of war, mounting twenty guns, and having on board sixty men, 
were thus blockaded by a force of eighty-one guns, and five 
hundred men. 

After cruising at the entrance to the harbour for six weeks, 
the Phoebe hove too, fired a gun to windward, and hoisted a 
motto flag, with the words " God and Country; British Sailors' 
best rights ; Traitors offend both ;" in answer, as it was thought, 
to Captain Porter's motto of "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights." 
On the mizzen of the Essex, a flag was immediately hoisted, 
with the words, "God, our Country, and Liberty; Tyrants 
oftend them;" and she got under way, and commenced a fire 
on the Phoebe. Captain Porter conceived the movements of 
the Phoebe to l^e intended as a challenge to engage him ship to 
ship ; but, on discovering that the Phoebe ran down to her con- 
sort, he felt convinced that Commodore Hillyar would not engage 
the Essex alone. This conclusion was confirmed by the con- 
duct of the two vessels, in keeping constantly within hail of 
each other. 

Captain Porter having now learned that the Tagus and two 
other frigates had also sailed for the Pacific, in pursuit of him, 



310 ATTACK ON THE ESSEX. 



not knowing what time they miglit gain the squadron ah-eady 
]:)loclvading him, and seeing no advantages wdiich his country 
could obtain hy his remaining longer in port, determined on 
putting to sea; and expected, by drawing ott the Phoebe and 
Cherub in pursuit of him, to aflford an opportunity to the Essex 
Junior, to ^vdiich he had appointed a rendezvous of escaping. 

On the 28th of March, the day after this determination was 
formed, the wind came on to blow fresh from the southward, and 
the Essex parted her larboard cable, and dragged her starboard 
anchor directly out to sea ; the occurrences which followed are 
thus described in Captain Porter's official letter :*• 

" Not a moment was to be lost in getting sail on the ship. 
The enemy were close in with the point forming the west side 
of the bay ; but on opening them I saw a prospect of passing to 
^^'indward, when I took in my topgallant sails, which were set 
over single reefed topsails, and braced up for this purpose : but 
on rounding the point, a heavy squall struck the ship, and car- 
ried away her main topmast, j)recipitating the men who were 
aloft into the sea, who were drowned. Both ships now gave 
chase to me : and I endeavoured in my disabled state to regain 
the port ; but finding I could not recover the common anchorage, 
I ran close into a small bay, about three-quarters of a mile to lee- 
ward of the battery, on the east side of the harbour, and let go 
my anchor, within pistol-shot of the shore, where I intended to 
repair my damages as soon as possible. 

The enemy continued to approach, and showed an evident 
intention of attacking us, regardless of the neutrality of the 
place where I was anchored. The caution observed in their 
approach to the attack of the crippled Essex was truly ridicu- 

* This letter, tonrether with an account of the entire cruise of the Essex — of the pos- 
session of the island of Nooaheevah, by Captain Porter, in the name of the United 
States — of the intercourse established with the natives in behalf of his government — 
of the destruction of the enemy's commerce in those seas — of the immense expense 
which it cost the British government to pursue and capture the Essex — and of the 
transactions wliich took place between the different tribes of natives in the Washington 
groupe, and the fleet with which he appeared there, are to be found in a " Journal," pub- 
lished by Captain Porter, and accompanied by several engraved plans of those places, 
of the harbour of Valparaiso, and a view of the battle between the Phcebe and Cherub, 
and the Essex. 



ATTACK ON THE ESSEX. 311 



Ions ; as was their display of their motto flags, and the niiinbcr 
of jacks at their mast heads. I, with as much expedition as cir- 
cumstances would admit of, got my ship ready for action, and 
endeavoured to get a spring on my cable, but had not succeeded, 
when the enemy, at fifty-four minutes after three p. fli. made liis 
attack; the Phoebe placing . herself under my stern, and the 
Cherub on my starboard bow : but the Cherub soon finding her 
situation a hot one, bore up and ran under my stern also, where 
both ships kept up a hot raking fire. I had got three long 
twelve-pounders out at the stern ports, which were worked with 
so much bravery and skill, that in half an hour we so disabled 
both, as to compel them to haid off to repair damages. In the 
course of this firing, I had by the great exertions of Mr. Edward 
Barnewall, the acting sailingmaster, assisted by Mr. Linscott, 
the boatswain, succeeded in getting springs on our cables three 
different times ; but the fire of the enemy was so excessive that, 
before w^e could get our broadside to bear, they were shot away, 
and thus rendered useless to us. My ship had received many 
injuries, and several had been killed and wounded ; but my 
brave officers and men, notwithstanding the unfavourable cir- 
cumstances under which we were brought to action, and the 
powerful force opposed to us, were noways discouraged : all 
appeared determined to defend their sliip to the last extremity, 
and to die in preference to a shameful surrender. Our gaff, with 
the ensign and motto flag at the mizzen, had been sliot a^vay ; 
but FREE TRADE AND SAiLORs' RIGHTS Continued to Hy at the 
fore. Our ensign ^^•as replaced by another : and to guard against 
a similar event, an ensiorn was made fast in the mizzen rio-o-innr, 
and several jacks were hoisted in different parts of the ship. 

The enemy soon repaired his damages for a fresh attacl^: ; he 
now placed himself with both his ships, on my starboard quarter, 
out of the reach of my carronndcs, and where my stern tmns 
could not be brought to bear ; he there kept up a most galling 
fire, which it was out of my power to return, when I saw- no 
prospect of injuring him, without getting under way and be- 
coming the assailant. My topsail sheets and halyards were all 
shot away, as well as the jib and fore-top-mast-stay-sail hal vards. 
The only rope not cut was the flying-jib halyards ; and that being 



312 



ATTACK ON THE ESSEX. 




Conimudore Porter. 



the only sail I could set, I caused it to l3C hoisted, my cable to 
he cut, and ran down on both ships, with an intention of laying 
the Phoebe on board. The firing on both sides was now tremen- 
dous ; I had let fall my fore-topsail and foresail, but the want 
of tacks and sheets had rendered them almost useless to us ; yet 
we were enabled for a short time to close with the enemy ; and 
althougli our decks were now strewed with dead, and our cock- 
pit filled with wounded ; although our ship had been several 
time's on fire, and was rendered a perfect wreck, we were still 
encouraged to hope to save her, from the circumstance of the 
Cherub, from her crippled state, being compelled to haul olT. 
She did not return to close action again, although she apparently 
had it in her povv-er to do so, but kept up a distant firing M'ith 
long guns. The Pha'be, from our disaljled state was enal)led, 
however, by edging off, to choose the distance which best suited 
her long guns, and kept up a tremendous fire on us, which 
mowed down my brave companions by the dozen. Manv of my 



ATTACK ON THE ESSEX. 



313 



g-uns had been rendered useless by the enemy's shot, and many 
of them had their whole crews destroyed. We manned them 
again, from those which were disabled, and one gun in particu- 
lar was three times manned ; fifteen were slain at it in the course 
of the action ! But, strange as it may appear, the captain of it 
escaped with only a slight wound. 

Finding that the enemy had it in his power to choose his dis- 
tance, I now gave up all hopes of closing with him ; and as the 
wind for the moment seemed to favour the design, I determined 
to endeavour to run her on shore, land my men, and destroy her. 
Every thing seemed to favour my wishes. We had approached 
the shore within musket-shot, and I had no doubt of succeedino-, 
when in an instant the wind shifted from the land, (as is very 
common in this port in the latter part of the day,) and payed our 
head down on the Phoebe, where we were again exposed to a 
dreadful raking fire. My ship was now totally unmanageable ; 
yet as her head was towards the enemy, and he to leeward of 
me, I still hoped to be* able to board him. At this moment, 
Lieutenant-Commandant Downes came on board to receive my 
orders, under the impression that I should soon be a prisoner. 
He could be of no use to me in the then wretched state of the 
Essex, and finding (from the enemy's putting his helm up) that 
my last attempt at boarding would not succeed, I directed him, 
after he had been about ten minutes on board, to return to his 
own ship, to be prepared for defending and destroying her in 
case of attack. He took with him several of my wounded, leavin<T 
three of his boat's crew on board to make room for them. 

The slaughter on board my ship had now become horrible ; the 
enemy continuing to rake us, and we unable to bring a gun to 
bear. I therefore directed a hawser to be bent to the sheet 
anchor, and the anchor to be cut from the bows to luring her head 
round ; this succeeded. We again got our broadside to bear, 
and as the enemy was much crippled, and unaljle to hold his 
own, I have no doubt he would soon have drifted out of gun-shot, 
before he discovered we had anchored, had not the hawser un- 
fortunately parted. 

My ship had taken fire several limes during the action, but 
alarmingly so forward and aft at tliis moment, the flames were 

2D 40 



314 ATTACK ON THE ESSEX. 

bursting up each hatchway, and no hopes were entertained of 
saving her ; our distance from the shore did not exceed three- 
quarters of a mile, and I hoped many of my brave crew would be 
able to save themselves, should the ship blow up, as I was 
informed the fire was near the magazine, and the explosion of a 
large quantity of powder below, served to increase the horrors of 
our situation. Our boats were destroyed by the enemy's shot; 
I therefore directed those who could swim, to jump overboard, 
and endeavour to gain the shore. Some reached it ; some were 
taken by the enemy, and some perished in the attempt; but 
most preferred sharing with me the fate of the ship. We, who 
remained, now turned our attention wholly to extinguish the 
flames; and, when we had succeeded, went again to our guns, 
where the firing was kept up for some minutes ; but the crew 
had by this time become so weakened, that they all declared to 
me the impossibility of making further resistance, and entreated 
me to surrender my ship, to save the w^ounded, as all further 
attempt at opposition must prove ineffectual, almost every gun 
being disabled by the destruction of their crews." 

Captain Porter then summoned his officers of division to a 
consultation, but, to his surprise, his summons was attended by 
one only remaining officer, Acting-Lieutenant McKnight, who 
made the same report concerning the condition of the guns. 
Lieutenant Wilmer had been knocked overboard by a splinter, 
and was drowned ; Acting-Lieutenant Cowell had lost a leg, of 
which loss he afterwards died; Mr. Barnewall, the acting- 
master, had been twice severely wounded; Acting-Lieutenant 
Odenheimer had been knocked overboard about the same time, 
and did not regain the ship until she had surrendered ; many of 
the wounded were killed, while in the hands of the surgeons ; 
the cockpit, the steerage, the wardroom, and the birth-deck 
could contain no more ; and such was the quantity of shot holes 
in the bottom of the Essex, that, unless she was very soon re- 
paired, the carpenter reported, she must inevitably sink. The 
smoothness of the water, and the impossil^ility of reaching the 
enemy with the carronades, enabled him to fire with the most 
deliberate aim at the Essex ; and, seeing no hope of saving his 
little frigate, Captain Porter, at twenty minutes past six, r. m., 



CAPTURE OF THE ESSEX. 315 

gave orders to strike the colours. At this moment, seventy-five 
men only, including officers, were all that remained of the crew, 
fit for duty, and several of these severely wounded. The Essex 
had now yielded to the superior force of the enemy, who, never- 
theless, still fired, and continued to do so, ten minutes after her 
surrender. Many of the crew were, in this time, killed ; an 
opposite gun had been fired, to show that she intended no further 
resistance, yet Commodore Hillyar still assailed her, and four 
men fell at the side of her commander. Conceiving from this 
conduct, that the enemy intended to show no quarter, Captain 
Porter determined to die with his flag flying, and was on the 
point of rehoisting it, when the firing ceased. 

In addition to the officers already mentioned. Captain Portei 
speaks of Messrs. Johnson and Bostwick, acting officers, of Mid- 
shipmen Isaacs, Farragut, and Ogden ; and of acting Midship- 
men Terry, Lyman, and Duzenbury, having behaved with much 
bravery, enterprise, and skill. 

Such was the condition of both the Phcebe and the Essex, that 
it was with extreme difficulty they could be kept afloat until 
they anchored in Valparaiso. All the masts and yards of the 
two British vessels were crippled, and their hulls cut up. The 
Phoebe had eighteen twelve-pound shot below her water line, 
though the Essex never reached the enemy, but with her six 
twelve-pounders. All the vessels were obliged to be repaired, to 
double Cape Horn ; and at Rio de Janeiro, they put in, to fit up 
and repair, to enable them to reach England. 

In an engagement of two hours and twenty minutes duration, 
between one ship of forty-six guns, six only of which could be 
used, and two vessels of eighty-one guns, the loss on the inferior 
side must necessarily have been excessively severe. On board 
the Essex, fifty-eight men were killed, thirty-nine severely, and 
twenty-six slightly wounded, and thirty-one missing ; making a 
total loss of one hundred and fifty-four. On board the Phoebe 
and Cherub, the loss was not small. The first lieutenant of the 
former was killed, and Captain Tucker of the latter, severely 
wounded. 

Commodore Hillyar made arrangements with Captain Porter, 
in consideration of his conduct to the crew of the Alert; by 



316 RETURN OF COMMODORE PORTER. 

which the Essex Junior was to be dismantled of her armament, 
and given up to the prisoners, who were to proceed in her to the 
United States. Accordingly, on the 27th of April, Captain 
Porter and his crew left Valparaiso in that ship, which, under 
Lieutenant Downes, was furnished with a passport, to secure her 
admission into any of the blockaded ports of the United States. 
On the 5th July, they fell in with the Saturn razee, Captain 
Mash) who suffered the Essex Junior to proceed, after an exami- 
nation of her papers. Two hours after, being on the same tack 
with the Saturn, she was again brought to, the papers re-examined, 
and the hold overhauled, by the boat's crew and an officer. 

Captain Porter was informed that Commodore Hillyar had no 
authority to make any arrangement, by which this ship should 
be given up, and that she must therefore be detained. Captain 
Porter immediately ordered out a boat, manned it with a sufficient 
crew, and pulled off from the Essex Junior. The Saturn did 
not discover him until he was out of gun-shot, when she chased 
the boat, without success ; and Captain Porter landed at Long 
Island, upwards of thirty miles from the place at which he left 
the Essex, and immediately proceeded to New York, where he 
arrived, after an absence from his country of nineteen months, 
and to which port he was followed a few days after by the 
Essex Junior. 

The United States sloop of war Peacock, Captain L. Warring- 
ton, of twenty guns, and one hundred and sixty men, was 
launched in the month of October, 1813, performed a cruise 
during that winter, escaped the pursuit of the enemy into the 
St. Mary's, put to sea again, and on the 29th of April discovered 
the British l)rig of war Epervier, Captain Wales, of eighteen 
guns and one hundred and twenty-eight men, having under con- 
voy an English brig, and a Russian and a Spanish ship, all of 
whom made sail on the approach of the Peacock. An engage- 
ment followed soon after, between the two vessels of war, and at 
the first broadside from the Epervier, the foreyard of the Peacock 
was totally disabled by two round shot in the starboard quarter. 
By this circumstance she was deprived of the use of her fore and 
fore topsails, and Captain Warrington was compelled to keep his 
ship large throughout the action, which continued forty-two 




2d 2 



THE PEA.COCK AND EPERVIER. 319 

minutes. In this time she received many shot through her sails 
and rigging, lost several topmast and top gallant back-stays, and 
had two men wounded. Her hull not at all injured, and none of 
the crew killed. The Epervier struck with five feet water in her 
hold, her main topmast over the side, her main boom shot away, 
her foremast cut nearly in two and tottering, her fore rigging 
and stays shot away, her bowsprit much injured, her hull pierced 
by forty-five shot, twenty of which were within a foot of her 
water line, and eleven of her crew killed, and her first lieutenant 
and fourteen men wounded. She w^as immediately taken pos- 
session of by Lieutenant Nicholson, first officer of the Peacock, 
who, with Lieutenant Voorhees of the same ship, had been dis- 
tinguished in another naval combat. One hundred and eighteen 
thousand dollars in specie were found on board the Epervier, and 
transferred to the Peacock; and Captain Warrington, having 
received on board the officers of the enemy's vessel, pursued his 
course to one of the southern ports, in company with his prize, 
after repairing her with the utmost diligence. 

At half-past five, p. ]\i., on the following day, being almost 
off" the centre of Amelia island, Captain Warrington discovered 
two large sail in chase, which he ascertained to be frigates. At 
the suggestion of Lieutenant Nicholson, he took all the prisoners 
out of the Epervier, and leaving a crew of only sixteen men on 
board, directed her to make the best of her way for St. Mary's, 
whilst we stood on a wind along the shore, to the southward. 
The frigates then separated, one being in chase of the Peacock, 
and the other of the Epervier. At nine that night the Peacock 
lost sight of the chaser, but continued all night to the south- 
ward. At daylight of the 1st of May she shortened sail, and 
stood to the northw^ard, discovered the frigate again, and was a 
second time chased until two, p. m., when the frigate gave up. 
In the evening she resumed her cruise, fell in M'ith the frigate a 
third time, on the morning of the 2d, and was again chased 
until she lost sight. On the morning of the 4th, she made Tybee 
lighthouse, at the entrance to Savannah, and arrived at that port 
in the course of the day. Here Captain Warrington found his 
prize, the Epervier, which had escaped with great difficulty, 
after beating off a launch well manned and armed, which had 



320- 



CRUISE OF THE WASP. 




Commodore Warrington. 

been despatched from the frigate to overtake her. Lieutenant 
Nicholson, by his judgment and decision, which had never been 
known to desert him in times of peril and difficulty, prevented 
her recapture. The Epervier was repaired, refitted, bought 
into the service at Savannah, and the command given to Captain 
Downes, of tlie Essex Junior. 

The conduct of Lieutenant Henley, of Midshipmen Greeves 
and Rodgers, of Mr. Townsend, captain's clerk, and Mr. Myers, 
master's mate, is represented by Captain Warrington to have 
been cool, determined, and active. The sailingmaster, Percival, 
the same wlio captured the tender Eagle, off Sandy Hook, 
handled tlie ship in a very superior style, and placed her in such 
situations as w^ere most advantageous, with much ease and pro- 
fessional skill. 

The new sloop of war the Wasp, Captain Blakely, mounting 
twenty guns, having l)een completely equipped for a long cruise, 
sailed from Portsmouth on the 1st of May, 1814, between which 
time and the 6th of the following July, she captured seven 



WASP AND REINDEER. 321 

mercliantmen, and a brig of war, the Reindeer, Captain Manners, 
of eighteen guns, and one shifting gun, and one hundred and 
eighteen men. This capture was made after an action of nine- 
teen minutes, in latitude 48° 36' N. and longitude 11° 45' W. 
On that day, at fifteen minutes after four a. i\i., the Wasp being 
in pursuit of two sail before the lee beam, discovered the Rein- 
deer on the weather beam, and immediately altered her course, 
and hauled by in chase of her. The pursuit continued until 
half-past meridian, when the Reindeer, having previously hoisted 
an English ensign and pendant, show^ed a blue and wdiite flag 
at the fore, and fired a gun. 

At fifteen minutes past one, Captain Blakely called all hands 
to quarters, and prepared for action. At twenty-two minutes 
past one, he tacked ship, and stood for the Reindeer, with an 
expectation of being able to weather her. At fifty minutes past 
one, the Reindeer tacked and stood from the Wasp. Fifty-six 
minutes past one, the Wasp hoisted her colours, and fired a gun 
to windward, which was answered. The chase was kept up until 
thirty-two minutes past two, when the Reindeer tacked for the 
Wasp, and the latter took in her stay sails, and furled the royals. 
Captain Blakely having now discovered that the Reindeer would 
weather him, immediately tacked ship, and at fifteen minutes 
past three, the Reindeer being on his weather quarter, at sixty 
yards distance, fired her shifting gun, a twelve-pound carronade, 
loaded with round and grape shot. 

At seventeen minutes past three, the same gun was fired 
again ; at nineteen minutes past three it was fired a third time ; at 
twenty-one minutes past three a fourth time ; and at twenty-four 
minutes past three a fifth time. The Reindeer not getting suffi- 
ciently on the beam of the Wasp, the latter was compelled to 
receive these repeated discharges without being able to bring a 
gun to bear. Her helm was therefore put a-lee, and at twenty- 
six minutes after three Captain Blakely commenced the action 
wdth his after carronade, on the starboard side, and fired in suc- 
cession. The mainsail was then hauled up, and at forty minutes 
after three, the Reindeer's larboard bow being in contact with 
the larboard quarter of the Wasp, Captain Manners directed his 
crew to board her. The attempt was gallantly repulsed by the 

41 



322 WASP AND REINDEER. 

crew of the Wasp, who several times beat off the enemy ; and 
at forty-four minutes past three w^ere ordered to board in turn. 
Throwing themselves with great promptitude upon the deck of 
the Reindeer, they succeeded in the execution of their orders, 
and her flag came down at forty-five minutes after three. In a 
line wdth her ports she w^as cut almost to pieces ; her upper 
works, boats, and spare spars entirely destroyed, and on the fol- 
lowing day her foremost went by the board. Twenty-five of 
her crew were killed, and forty-two w^ounded, making a loss of 
sixty-seven men. 

On board the Wasp the injury sustained was not so material 
Her rigging was destroyed however in several places, her fore- 
mast was pierced through by a twenty-four pound ball, and her 
hull struck by six round shot and many grape, though not with 
sufficient force to penetrate far. Her loss amounted to five killed, 
and twenty-one wounded, principally in boarding. Among the 
latter Midshipmen Langdon and Toscan, both of wdiom expired 
some days after. Having received the prisoners and their bag- 
gage on board the Wasp, Captain Blakely blew up the Reindeer 
on the evening of the 29th, and sailed for L' Orient to provide 
for the disabled part of each crew, whose wounds had become 
offensive in consequence of the intense heat of the weather. He 
arrived at that port on the 8th of July, and found that their 
damage could be repaired by the carpenters of the ship in a 
few days. 

In this action Lieutenants Bury and Reily, who had been in 
the engagements with the Guerriere and Java, and of Lieute- 
nant Tillinghast, (2d) who was instrumental to the capture of 
the Boxer, maintained the high credit which they acquired on 
those previous occasions. And Captain Blakely, whose reputa- 
tion as a skilful seaman and an expert navigator is not surpassed 
by any naval officer, had his crew so well drilled upon the prin- 
ciples of marine discipline, that they never despaired of van- 
quishing an equal force of their enemy. 

In the port of L' Orient, the Wasp was detained by head winds 
until the 27th of August, having been anchored there fifty-two 
days. During this time every attention was given to her officers 
and crew by the inhabitants, and their situation in a foreign port 



WASP A^D AVON. 325 



rendered particularly agreeable by the assiduities of the Ame- 
rican minister. 

After leaving that place and capturing two valuable British 
merchantmen, Captain Blakely fell in with a convoy of ten sail, 
on the 1st of Sejitember, under the protection of the Armada, 
seventy-four, and a bomb ship. He stood for them, and suc- 
ceeded in cutting out of the squadron a brig laden with brass 
and iron cannon, and military stores from Gibraltar; and after 
taking out the prisoners and setting her on fire, he endeavoured 
to cut out another vessel, but was driven off by the seventy-four. 

In the evening at half past six, he discovered two vessels on 
his starboard, and two on the larboard bow, and hauled for that 
which was farthest to windward. At seven she was made out 
to be a brio; of war, makino- sio-nals with flajis which could not 
be distinguished, owing to the darkness of the night; and at 
twenty-nine minutes past nine, she was under the lee-bow of the 
Wasp. Captain Blakely ordered the twelve-pound carronade to 
be fired into her, and received a return from the stranger. The 
Wasp then ran under the lee-bow of the enemy to prevent her 
escape, and immediately commenced an action, which continued 
until ten o'clock, when Captain Blakely, supposing his antago- 
nist to be silenced, ceased firing, and hailed to know if she had 
surrendered. No answer being given to this demand, he re- 
commenced firing, and the enemy returned him broadside for 
broadside. 

At twelve minutes past ten, the enemy having made no return 
to the two last broadsides, was again hailed to know if he had 
surrendered. Captain Blakely was informed that the vessel 
being in a sinking condition, her commander had struck his 
colours. The Wasp's boats were immediately lowered, when a 
second brig of war was discovered a little distance astern, stand- 
ing for her. The crew were instantly sent to their quarters, and 
preparations made for another engagement. The Wasp was 
lying to for the approach of the second stranger, when at thirty- 
six minutes past ten, two other brigs were discovered standing 
also for her. 

Under these circumstances, Captain Blakely was prevented 
from taking possession of his prize, and keeping oflf the wind, 

2E 



326 



SINKING OF THE AVON. 




Captain Blakely. 

with an expectation of drawing the brig first discovered, after 
him, he ordered new braces to be rove, to replace those which 
had been shot away. His expectations were not, however, an- 
swered, the brig of war continuing in pursuit only until she w^as 
near enough under his stern to give him a broadside, and return 
to her companions. This she did, and cut the rigging and sails, 
and shot away a lower main cross tree of the Wasp. 

The name and force of the prize has since been ascertained. 
She was tlie brig of war Avon, Captain Arbuthnot, of the same 
number of guns as the Reindeer, and sunk immediately after the 
Castillion (the vessel which chased the Wasp) had taken out her 
last man. According to the enemy's account, her captain was 
wounded in both legs, the first lieutenant and eight men killed, 
and the second lieutenant, one midshipman, and thirty-one men 
wounded. 

The Wasp received in her hull four thirty-two-pound shot, and 
in her mainmast a number of grape shot. Her sails and rigging 
were much damaged, but her loss in men amounted to two killed 



LOSS OF THE WASP. 



327 



and one only wounded. She repaired her damages on the suc- 
ceeding day, and continued to cruise, in conformity with her in- 
structions from the navy department. On the '2istof September, 
she captured off the Madeiras, her thirteenth prize, the British 
brig Atalanta, of eight guns, and the only one which she sent 
into port. This vessel arrived at Savannah in the beginning of 
November, under the command of Mr. Geisinger, one of the 
officers of the Wasp, wdth despatches from Captain Blakely. 

The Atalanta left the Wasp, at sea, on the 23d of September, 
without knowing the destination to which her further cruise 
would convey her ; and, since that time, no official accounts have 
been received from her. Her cruise was theretofore most brilliant 
and unparalleled, her sailors all young, athletic, brave, and en- 
thusiastic, and her officers among the most skilful in the service. 
She was never heard from after being hailed by the Atalanta, 
and her loss was deeply deplored by the whole republic. 




2B 



37 



328 



CAMPAIGN OF 1814. 




CHAPTER XVII. 




N the winter of 1813, we left the 
northern army under General Wil- 
kinson, in quarters, the right division 
being at Champlain, and the left and 
largest at French Mills. Between 
that time and the spring of 1814, 
several ]ilans of attack upon the posts 
of St. Philip, L'Acadie and St. Johns, 
by the route of Hammerford, La Tor- 
tue, and St. Piere, and for a simultaneous movement against 
Cornwall, with a view to cut off the communication between the 
Upper and Lower Provinces, were submitted to the war depart- 
ment l^y the commander-in-chief Before the propositions were 
received at the department, orders had been forwarded to 
Salmon river, directing the general to withdraw his forces from 
French Mills ; to forward two thousand men, with a proportion 
of field and battering cannon, under General Brown, to Sackett's 
Harbour ; and to fall back with the residue of the troops, stores, 
and baggage to Plattsburg. 

In conformity to these orders, the flotilla in which the army 
had descended the St. Lawrence was destroyed on the night of 
the 12th of February ; the barracks were fired on the succeeding 
day, and the troops abandoiied their quarters and marched to- 
ward the several places of their destination. 



EXPEDITION AGAINST FRENCH MILLS. 



329 



General Willvinson had scarcely reached Plattsburg before 
he was apprized of a movement of the enemy, with a view to 
the capture of a fev/ sick men whose extreme illness rendered 
it indispensable they should be left in the hospital at Malone, a 
short distance from the Mills. He therefore determined on their 
expulsion from the territory, in time to prevent the achievement 
of their object, and having made proper arrangements for the 
convenience and comfort of the sick at their new quarters, he 
marched with all possible expedition to meet and repulse the 
enemy. 

Colonel Scott of the 103d British regiment, commanded the 
expedition against French Mills and Malone, composed of two 
thousand regidars, Glengarians, and militia, and accompanied 
by nearly three hundred guides and followers. He crossed over 
to the Mills on the 21st, burned the arsenal at Malone, pillaged 
tlie property of individuals, and carried off several barrels of 
public provisions. But hearing of the approach of the Ameri- 
can troops, he retreated in great confusion, though not without 
destroying the bridges in his rear. The whole party suffered 
severely by a tremendous storm of snow and hail, which pre- 
vailed at the close of the day, and lost upwards of two hundred 
deserters, who surrendered themselves to the American army. 

During the following month, (March,) the troops were not 
otherwise engaged than in breaking up a system of smuggling, 
which had been carried on for several previous months, and 
which at this period was extended to an alarming and dangerous 
degree. 

Towards the close of March, General Wilkinson determined 
on establishing a battery at Rouse's Point, where he had pre- 
viously discovered a position well adapted for a work to keep in 
check the contemplated movements of the British fleet destined 
to operate upon the Lake Champlain, and which had been laid 
up during the winter at St. Johns, about twenty-one miles below 
the mouth of the La Colle, and twenty-six from Rouse's Point. 
After this position had been reconnoitered by his engineer. Ma- 
jor Totten, he made an attempt to carry this object into execu- 
tion, but the sudden and unseasonable breaking up of the ice 
defeated the plan ; and being informed that the enemy had taken 



2e2 



42 



830 AFFAIR OF LA COLLE MILL. 



the alarm, and was condensing- a force of two thousand five 
hundred men at La Colic Mill, four miles from Rouse's Point, 
he determined on the opinion of his leading officers, and a report 
that the walls could he effectually battered ^v■ith a six-pounder 
to attack it. On the 80th he accordinp;-ly entered Canada, and 
was met by a party of the enemy at Odelltovvn, whom he forced 
back more than three miles, on the route to Montreal, in the 
course of which much skirmishing took place. He then resumed 
his march to La Colle Mill, a large and lofty fortified stone house, 
measuring sixty feet hj forty, and at that time in command of 
Major Hancock, and a strong corps of British regulars. 

To drive the enemy from this post, and to effect its destruc- 
tion, General Wilkinson ordered forward an eightcen-pounder, 
and disposed his troops so as to intercept him in an attempt to 
retreat. The only road of approach being through a deep forest, 
almost inundated, and covered with insurmountable obstruc- 
tions to the passage of a heavy piece of cannon, the eighteen- 
pounder could not be brought up, and the general determined 
upon attempting a breach \\ ith a twelve, and a five and a half 
inch howitzer. He took post with those pieces, under command 
of Captain IVIcPherson and his seconds, Lieutenants Larrabee 
and Sheldon, at a distance of two hundred and fifty yards* from 
the fortified house, and covered them with the second brigade 
composed of the 33d, 34th, 4th, and 10th regiments, and part of 
Colonel Clark's command, under Brigadier-General Smith, on 
the right; and the 3d brigade, composed of the 14th and 20th, 
under Brigadier-General Bissel, on the left. Colonel Miller 
was detached with the 6th, and l'2tli, and part of the 13th, to 
cross the La Colle, and form a line across the several roads 
leading from the stone house on the opposite side of the river, to 
cut off' the retreat of the British regulars. Brigadier-General 
Macomb, with a select corps of the first brigade, formed the re- 
serve. All these regiments were mere skeletons consolidated. 
This disposition being completed, the battery was immediately 
opened upon tlic enemy, who promptly returned the fire, and 

* It is said Major, now Colonel, Totten, since ascertained that the Americans were 
within one hundred and fifty yards of the liou.se, and that a breach could not have been 
effected with an cighteen-pounder. 



AFFAIR OF LA COLLE MILL. 



331 



threw numbers of Contrreve rockets upon tlie right wing of the 
American line. From these manifestations of dehberate and 
circumspect preparation, the commander of the American forces 
was induced to believe the report that the number of the enemy 
amounted to twenty-five hundred ; his strength was inferior to 
tliat, however, though competent under the cover of strong walls, 
to repel an attack from a much larger number of assailants. 

The stone house stood upon that side of the river on which 
General Wilkinson had dra\vn up his line ; a block-house of 
wood stood on the other; and both were encompassed by an 
open piece of ground, on the edge of a wood bordering upon 
which the Americans had taken post; every officer, therefore, 
from the lowest subaltern up to the commander-in-chief was 
exposed to the enemy's fire. Here the general made proper 
arrangements to keep his corps in order, to receive a combined 
attack, and continued to cannonade the house, but without being 
able to effect a breach, althouQ-h the s:\\n^ were manaored with 
uncommon skill, by officers accustomed to their use. Captain 
McPherson had been already wounded ^^nder the chin; this 
wound he immediately bound up, and continued to direct the 
fire from his piece until a second shot broke his thigh, and ren- 
dered him unfit for further duty. His next officer. Lieutenant 
Larrabee, was shot througli the lungs, and Lieutenant Sheldon 
kept up the fire with great vivacity, until the close of the engage- 
ment. The conduct of these gentlemen was represented by their 
commander to be " so conspicuously gallant as to attract the 
admiration of their brothers in arms." 

Relying on the firmness and intrepidity of his troops, and 
seeino- that the Americans were resolved on the lonsrer main- 
tenance of the cannonade, the British commander,- Major Han- 
cock, determined on sending a strong party from the house, to 
storm the battery, and put the assailants to flight. He gave orders 
for a sudden and immediate sortie, and several desperate charges 
Avere attempted upon the cannon. These were successively 
repulsed by the covering troo})s, and the enemy's regulars obliged 
to retire to the fortified building with considerable loss. They 
then shut themselves up in the house, and, convinced of their 
ability to retain their position, put at defiance the utmost efforts 



332 OPERATIONS ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 



of the Americans ; and General Wilkinson being now persuaded 
of the impracticability of making an impression with such light 
pieces upon a solid stone wall found upon experiment to be of 
unusual thickness, called in his detachments, withdrew his bat- 
tery, and having previously removed his dead and wounded, fell 
back to Odelltown, at about six o'clock of the same day. Thence 
he moved to Champlain and Plattsburg, at which latter place 
he estabhshed his quarters. The American loss in this affair 
amounted to one hundred and forty in killed and wounded, among 
the latter Lieutenants Green and Parker, of the infantry. The 
enemy's loss was known to be considerable in the sortie, but the 
amount has never been accurately ascertained. 

Immediately after the incursion to La Colle, the whole regular 
force of Lower Canada, and a battalion of Glengarians from 
Coteau de Lac, were concentrated at Isle aux Noix, and a large 
number of batteaux collected at St. Johns. The former awaiting 
the movement of the British fleet, whose boats were employed in 
the daily examination of the ice on the lake, on the breaking up 
of which such movement depended. This event took place in 
the beginning of the month of April, and early in May the British 
flotilla entered Lake Champlain. 

REVIOUSLY to their apppearance on 
the lake, General Wilkinson had been 
recalled from that district, by an order from 
be department of the 24th of March. But being 
pprized of the equipment of the enemy's flotilla, 
nd of their intention to blockade the mouth of 
Otter creek leadinsf to the town of Vergennes, where the 
American fleet lay waiting for their armament, he, notwithstand- 
ing this order, visited the capes at its entrance, conferred with 
Commodore INIcDonouoh at Vergfennes, and made arransrements 
to erect a battery and fortify that point. This precaution proved to 
be of incalculable service, and amply provided against an attempt 
to obstruct the passage of the American squadron into the lake. 

On the 1 3th of May, not long after the battery had been con- 
structed on the cape, a bomb vessel and eight large row galleys 
were stationed, by the enemy, across the entrance of the creek, 
with a view to its blockade, and to cut off" supplies for a new ship 




OPERATIONS ON LAKE ONTARIO. 333 

just then completing, and intended to be added to the American 
squadron. Captain Thornton, of the Ught artilleiy, was de- 
spatched to defend the battery, and Commodore McDonough 
placed a number of sailors, under Lieutenant Cassin, of the navy, 
to co-operate with the artillery. A new large gun brig, and several 
other galleys, being at the same time, about two miles in the rear 
of the bomb vessels, suspicions were entertained of the enemy's 
intention to land a detachment of troops, either to capture the 
provisions in the neighbourhood, or to assail the battery from the 
rear. General Davis, of the Vermont militia, immediately called 
out a detachment of his brigade, and made dispositions to resist 
an invasion. At daybreak on the morning of the 14th, the bomb 
ship o|)ened her battery upon the new works, and continued the 
attack upwards of two hours, without doing any other injury than 
the dismounting of one gun. Captain Thornton, with his artil- 
lerymen, and Lieutenant Cassin, with his sailors, returned the 
fire ^\•ith constant animation, compelled the enemy to withdraw 
from his position, and captured two galleys which the British 
seamen were obliged to abandon. The bomb ship, and the re- 
mainder of the galleys, stood off to the other vessels, and the 
whole squadron proceeded down the lake, passed Burlington, and 
had some skirmishing with a small body of militia under General 
Wright, who manoeuvered so well as to persuade the enemy that 
his force was much stronger. During the attack, Commodore 
McDonough attempted to bring the American vessels down the 
creek, but did not succeed in reaching the mouth, until the 
enemy had departed. 

The enemy were not less active in their operations along the 
shores of the Lake Ontario ; and the commanders of the rival 
armaments there, lost no time in preparing and equipping their 
vessels, to take the lake early in fhe spring. At the close of the 
preceding autumn, they had manoevered with uncommon skill, 
though not with equal success, the one to draw his enemy into 
an engagement, the other to avoid fighting, for the supremacy of 
the water, until his fleet should be augmented by an additional 
force. At Kino-ston, an immense vessel was buildincr for that 
purpose ; and, at Sackett's Harbour, a new ship was ordered of 
a sufficient size to maintain the existing equality. Whilst these 




334 OPERATIONS ON LAKE ONTARIO. 

vessels were constructing, various plans were continually adopted 
to destroy them, and all the caution of one party became neces- 
sary to guard against the vigilance of the other. On one occasion, 
the 25th of April, three of the enemy's boats succeeded in getting 
close in with the harbour, w^hen Lieutenant Dudley, of the navy, 
beino" the officer of the guard, detected and fired upon them. 
Each boat was provided with two barrels of powder, attached to 
each other by means of ropes, and intended to be placed under 
the stocks of the vessels. Upon being fired at, they immediately 
threw the powder into the lake, to prevent an explosion of their 
own boats, and pulled off without returning a shot. 

AILING in all his attempts to destroy the 
hull of the new ship, the British commander 
determined upon intercepting her rigging, 
naval stores, and guns. These had l)een de- 
posited at Oswego, about sixty miles from 
the harbour, and thither Sir James Yeo and 
Lieutenant-General Drummond resolved to 
sail with the whole fleet, and a competent number of troops to 
land and storm the fort, and capture this valuable booty. Ac- 
cordingly, on the 5th of May, Sir James appeared before the 
fort, with four large ships, three brigs, and a number of gun- 
boats, l)arges, and transports. The transports principally con- 
tained the troops of Lieutenant-General Drummond. The suc- 
cessful issue of this expedition would have given to the British 
forces, for a time at least, a decided superiority on the lake, and 
without knowing that the stores had been previously removed 
from Oswego, they commenced an attack, wdiich was kept up 
for nearly two days, the brilliant and unusual resistance to which 
did not, however, avail the American garrison. The fort mounted 
but five old guns, three of which were almost useless, and had 
a shore battery of five more of smaller weight. It had been 
garrisoned but a few days by Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell of the 
artillery, and two hundred and ninety men. The schooner 
Growler, having on board Captain Woolsey and Lieutenant 
Pearce of the navy, was at that time in Oswego creek, receiving 
the cannon which had not yet been removed. The enemy were 
no sooner discovered than the Growler was sunk to prevent the 



DEFENSE OF OSWEGO, 335 

capture of the cannon, and all the tents in store were imme- 
diately pitched on the village side of the creek, to persuade the 
enemy that the Americans were numerous. Under Lieutenant 
Pearcc the few sailors of the Growler Avere added to the gar- 
rison ; the shore battery was commanded by Captain Boyle, who 
was seconded by Lieutenant Legate. 

At about one o'clock fifteen large boats, crowded with troops, 
moved at a given signal to the shore, preceded by several gun- 
boats which were sent forward to cover the landing ; whilst all 
the larger vessels opened a heavy fire upon the little fort. The 
contest was kept up with great vigour and equal vivacity ; the 
fort itself returned a very animated fire ; and Captain Boyle 
succeeded twice in repulsing the debarking boats, near the shore 
battery, and at length compelled them to retire to the shipping. 
The whole squadron then stood off, and anchored at a distance 
from the shore ; one of their boats, being sixty feet in length, 
and carrying thirty-six oars and three sails, was so much shat- 
tered that her crew abandoned her, and she fell into the hands 
of the American artillery. 

Though the British were thus compelled to retire from the 
assault of the fort, it was by no means to be supposed that they 
had relinquished their intention of storming and possessing it. 
The immense superiority of their force and means would not 
justify such a supposition, and Colonel Mitchell was therefore 
particularly vigilant. He stationed picket guards at the differ- 
ent points of debarkation, kept his men upon their arms during 
the night, and neglected no measure of precaution. Mortified 
at so successful a resistance, by a force known to be so much 
inferior, and protected by weak batteries, the enemy determined 
to effect a landing under cover, as well of their large vessels, as 
of their gun-boats, and at daybreak of the 6th they approached 
the shore again. They were early discovered coming up under 
easy sail, and soon after the principal ship, the Wolf, and the 
other frigates resumed their position before the fort and battery, 
whilst the brigs, schooners, and gun-boats, proceeded higher up 
to cover by their fire the landing of the troops. The Wolf, and 
the frigates, kept up the cannonade for three hours, whilst the 
land forces, to the number of seventeen hundred, composed of 



336 



CAPTURE OF OSWEGO. 




^'-^Wi^t"^ 




Attack on Oswego 

one column of the De Watteville regiment, led by Lieutenant- 
Colonel Fischer, on the left ; a second column of a battalion of 
marines, under Lieutenant-Colonel Malcorn, supported by a de- 
tachment of two hundred seamen under Captain Mulcaster, the 
second officer of the fleet, on the right, succeeded under a tre- 
mendous fire from the brigs and schooners, in gaining the sliore, 
wdiere their advance w^as resisted by Lieutenant Pearce of the 
navy, and a small party of seamen. The landing being effected. 
Colonel Mitchell withdrcAv to the rear of the fort, united Avith 
the sailors, two companies of artillerymen, under Captains Ro- 
mayne and Melvin, and assailed the invading columns whilst 
the companies of Captains Mclntire and Pierce of the heavy ar- 
tillery engaged the enemy's flanks. Thus formed, he sustained 
a vigorous and desperate conflict upwards of thirty minutes, in 
wdiich great slaughter was made among the enemy, and a severe 
loss experienced by the troops of the garrison. Against a force, 
how^ever, which amounted to ten times their own number, it was 
found useless for the Americans longer to contend, and Colonel 
Mitchell accordingly fell back about four hundred yards from 
the enemy, where he formed his troops, and took up his march 
for the falls, thirteen miles in the rear of the fort, upon Oswego 
river, to which place the stores had been previously removed. 
He retired in such good order as to be able to destroy the 



ATTACK ON CHARLOTTE. 337 

bridges in his rear, notwithstanding he was pressed by a nume- 
rous foe. 

The enemy then took possession of the fort and barracks, but 
for the httle booty which he obtained, consisting of a few barrels 
of provisions and whisky, he paid much more than an equivalent. 
His loss in killed amounted to seventy, in wounded, drowned, 
and missing, one hundred and sixty-five, in all two hundred and 
thirty-five. Among these were Captain Haltaway killed, and 
Captains Mulcaster, Popham, and Ledergrew, and two lieute- 
nants and one master wounded. In the noble and obstinate resist- 
ance which they made, the Americans lost Lieutenant Blaney, 
an officer of high promise, and five men killed, thirty-eight 
wounded, and twenty-five missing, in all sixty-nine men. 

On the morning of the 7th, the enemy, finding that the object 
of the expedition, though prosecuted with a force, including the 
ships' crews, of three thousand men, had not been achieved, 
evacuated the place after firing the barracks, spiking some, and 
carrying off others of the guns. 

On the 9th, they returned to Oswego, and sent a flag into the 
village, informing the inhabitants of their intention of landing a 
large force, to proceed to the falls for the execution of their origi- 
nal plan ; but on being assured by the people that the stores had 
been removed from that place, and that the communication w^as 
cut off by the destruction of the bridges, they quitted Oswego and 
stood for Kingston. 

On the evening of the 12th, four ships, two brigs, and five 
gun-boats, of this squadron, were discovered shaping their course 
for Charlotte, a town near the mouth of the Gennessee river. 
At this town, a corps of volunteers, amounting to one hundred 
and sixty men, and having one field-piece, had been stationed for 
its defense ; and the commanding officer, on the appearance of 
the fleet, immediately despatched expresses to General Peter B. 
Porter, who arrived there early on the morning of the 13th. In 
answer to a flag^ which had been sent ashore with a demand for 
the surrender of the place. General Porter returned a positive re- 
fusal. Two gun-boats, carrying between two and three hundred 
men, then entered the river, and opened a fire upon the town and 
battery, which they continued, with little effect, for an hour and 

2F 43 



338 FLIGHT OF THE BRITISH. 

a half. The commodore sent in a second flag, with a repetition 
of his demand, accompanied by a threat to land twelve hundred 
reo-ulars to destroy the town. By this time the women and chil- 
dren were all removed, about three hundred and fifty militia col- 
lected, and dispositions made to cut off the gun-boats, if they 
should approach further up the river. Being well assured of the 
determination of his men to resist the landing of the enemy, Gene- 
ral Porter repeated his reply to the commodore's demand. At 
eioht o'clock on the morning of the 15th, the gun-boats retired to 
their shipping, after having thrown a great quantity of rockets, 
shells, and round shot, without doing any material injury, and 
the fleet took its departure from the vicinity of Charlotte. 

In the evening of the same day, this force proceeded to Poult- 
neyville, a village on the border of the lake, and demanded the 
peaceable surrender of the public stores. The inhabitants were 
incompetent to repel the invaders, and the British commodore 
landed a party of sailors and marines, who captured a quantity 
of damaged flour, and were committing depredations upon indi- 
vidual property, when the arrival of Brigadier-General John 
Swift, of the New York militia, with one hundred and thirty 
volunteers, put them to a precipitate flight. Their boats hastily 
pulled off to the fleet, when a vigorous cannonade commenced, 
and several old houses were pierced through by the eighteen and 
twenty-four-pound shot. The enemy did not attempt to reland, 
but soon weighed anchor, and being joined by other vessels of 
the squadron, steered for Sackett's Harbour. 

Nine miles distant from the harbour the fleet cast anchor, in 
different positions, on the 19th, to enable them to cut off all commu- 
nication between it and other places on the lake. The new ship, 
the Superior, a frigate of uncommon beauty and dimensions, had 
been launched there on the 1st of the month. Her equipments, 
for the capture of which lire enemy had so vigorously assaulted 
Fort Oswego, had mostly arrived by land conveyances, and Sir 
James Yeo being ignorant of this circumstance, and supposing 
the Americans dependent entirely on their free and ready access 
to the lalve, for the possession of these supplies, commenced the 
blockade of the harbour, with the sole view of intercepting them. 
Upon learning, as he afterwards did, that the new ship was re- 



THE MOHAWK. 339 



ceiving her armament, and equipping with great expedition, he 
broke up the blockade, and proceeded with liis fleet to Kingston. 

Some cannon and ordnance stores, intended for the vessels of 
the American fleet, had, in the mean time, arrived at Oswego, 
from the interior. Another new vessel, intended to be called the 
Mohawk, was then on the stocks, and to prepare her for tlie lake 
in the early part of June, these stores, as well as those which had 
been removed to Oswego falls, were indispensably necessary. 
To transport them by land would be attended with difhculties 
and delays, which recent experience had taught the American 
commanders to avoid ; and Commodore Chauncey, finding now 
an unobstructed passage to the lake, directed Captain VVoolsey 
to convey them, in a flotilla of barges, in which he could ascend 
the small creeks, if pursued by the enemy, to their point of desti- 
nation. To give security to the passage of the barges, Brigadier- 
General Gaines, who commanded the land forces of the harbour, 
despatched Major Appling, of the rifle regiment, with one hun- 
dred and twenty officers and men, to co-operate with Captain 
Woolsey, in escorting the flotilla. The barges, nineteen in num- 
ber, were then at the falls of Oswego, and previously to their move- 
ment to the lake. Captain Woolsey had caused a report to be 
circulated, that the naval stores were to be forwarded to the 
Oneida lake. The watchful enemy had several gun-boats at that 
time hovering about the numerous creeks, which discharge them- 
selves into the Lake Ontario, and examining every cove, by the 
aid of which, small barges might elude their vigilance. On the 
28th of May, Captain Woolsey, having previously reconnoitered 
the mouth of the Oswego creek, and finding a clear coast, brought 
his flotilla over the rapids, and reached the village of Oswego at 
sunset. Availing himself of the darkness of the night, he put 
into the lake, with Major Appling and his men distributed in tlie 
several batteaux. A small party of Oneida Indians w^ere de- 
spatched to Big Salmon river, to meet the flotilla there, and to 
proceed along the shore to Sandy creek, in which Captain Wool- 
sey' s orders obliged him to make a harbour. 

At the dawn of the 29th, after having rowed twelve hours, in 
extreme darkness, and under a heavy fall of rain, the barges 
arrived at Big Salmon, and weife met by the Indians, commanded 



340 CAPTURE OF A BRITISH FLOTILLA. 

l)y Lieutenant Hill of the rifle corps. The flotilla then proceeded 
on its passage, and arrived, in the course of the day, at a point 
two miles up Sandy creek. Thence a look-out boat, under Lieu- 
tenant Pearce, was despatched on the 30th, to reconnoiter between 
its mouth and Stony Point. This boat was discovered by three 
gun-boats, three cutters, and a gig, under Captain Popham, and 
chased into the creek. No doubt being entertained that the 
enemy would pursue Lieutenant Pearce up the creek, dispositions 
were immediately made by Major Appling and Captain Woolsey 
to draw him into an ambuscade. He very soon appeared, and at 
eio-ht o'clock a. i\i. commenced a cannonade at lono; shot. At ten 
he landed a party, and pushed his gun-boats and cutters up the 
creek, occasionally firing into the woods as he ascended. Major 
Appling, who had posted his men in a judicious manner along 
the bank, below the point at which the American barges were 
moored, then suddenly rose from his concealment, poured upon 
the enemy a rapid and destructive fire, and in ten minutes killed 
one midshipman and thirteen sailors and marines, wounded two 
lieutenants, and twenty-eight sailors and marines, and took pri- 
soners the remainder of the party, consisting of two post captains, 
and four lieutenants of the navy, two lieutenants of marines, and 
one hundred and thirty-three men. The whole party amounted to 
one hundred and eighty-five. The gun-boats and cutters neces- 
sarily fell into the hands of the Americans, who had but one man 
slightly wounded. 

A squadron of dragoons, under Captain Harris, and a company 
of light artillery, under Captain Melvin, with two field-pieces, 
arrived in the neighbourhood, at the commencement of the action, 
but did not participate in it. Major Appling was soon after 
brevetted a lieutenant-colonel, and his officers. Lieutenants Mcin- 
tosh, Calhoun, Macfarland, Armstrong, and Smith, and Ensign 
Austin were publicly thanked by the commanding general officer 
at Sackett's Harbour. Captain Woolsey and his officers, Lieu- 
tenant Pearce, Sailingmaster Vaughan, and Midshipmen Mackey, 
Hart, and Caton, who had been ordered to Oswego to superin- 
tend the transportation of the cannon and stores, acquitted them- 
selves in a masterly and courageous manner. 

The cannon were soon after transported to the harbour, and 



% 



BURNING OF DOVER. 343 

the new frigate Mohawk, was launched on the 11th of June, and 
very speedily armed and equipped to join the squadron, which 
then consisted of nine vessels, carrying in all about two hundred 
and fifty-one guns. 

The result of this affair was sensibly felt throughout the British 
fleet ; it deprived them of a number of experienced seamen, and 
several valuable and intrepid officers, and they were compelled 
to remain in Kingston harbour, until their places were supplied, 
and the squadron enlarged by an immense new ship, then building 
there, and intended to carry one hundred and twelve guns. Com- 
modore Chauncey sailed round the lake in the course of the 
month, and frequently stationed himself before Kingston, to draw 
out the enemy's squadron. 

Until their new ship was completed, they determined, how- 
ever, to remain in port, and in that interval no hostile event took 
place upon Lake Ontario. Nor, indeed, was any warlike attitude 
assumed in its neighbouring Lake Erie, or the Lake Champlain, 
before the commencement of the summer. From the borders of 
the latter, Lieutenant-Colonel Forsythe, of the rifle corps, on the 
28th of June, made an incursion into Canada, as far as Odell- 
town, where an affair took place with a detachment of the 
enemy, from the post of La Colle. The colonel made an attack, 
retreated, and attempted to draw the enemy into an ambuscade, 
but in his zeal, discovered himself and his party too soon, and 
an engagement took place before the British were ensnared. 
Seventeen of their number were killed ; among them the cele- 
brated partisan commander, Captain Mayhue, who was shot by 
Lieutanant Riley. Colonel Forsythe, who had heretofore been 
a terror to the enemy, was wounded in the neck, of which wound 
he died a few days after, and was buried with military honours 
at Champlain. The command of this corps was then transferred 
to Lieutenant-Colonel Appling. 

From Lake Erie, Colonel Campbell, of the 19th regiment, 
crossed over the lake with five hundred men, to Long Point, 
where he landed, and proceeding to the village of Dover, destroyed 
the flour mills, distilleries, and all the houses occupied by the 
soldiers, as well as many others belonging to the peaceable in- 
habitants of the village. A squadron of British dragoons, sta- 



344 CAMPBELL COURT- MARTIALLED. 

lioned at that place, fled at the approach of Colonel Campbell's 
detachment, and abandoned the women and children, who 
experienced humane treatment from the Americans. Colonel 
Campbell undertook this expedition without orders, and as his 
conduct was generally reprobated, a court of inquiry was insti- 
tuted to examine into his proceedings, of which General Scott 
was president. This court declared that the destruction of the 
mills and distilleries was according to the usages of war, but 
that in burning the houses of the inhabitants, Colonel Campbell 
had greatly erred. This error they attributed to the recollection 
of the scenes of the Raisin and the Miami, in the western terri- 
tories, to the army of which, Colonel Campbell was at that 
time attached, and of the recent devastation of the Niagara 
frontier. 

During these events of the winter and spring of 1814, the 
British had collected, in the neighbourhood of the river Thames, 
and at the Delaware town, situated upon that river, a very 
respectable force of regulars, militia, and Indians ; and several 
expeditions were planned and set on foot against them, by 
Colonel Anthony Butler, who commanded the American forces 
in the Michigan territory. In the month of February, Captain 
Lee, who had been formerly a cornet in the Michigan dragoons, 
M'as sent into the vicinity of the enemj^, with about fourteen 
mounted men. Many miles in the rear of the British foi'ces, he 
made prisoners of several officers, and among them the famous 
Colonel Baubee, who commanded a party of Indians, and 
assisted in the depredations committed on the New York frontier. 
Captain Lee contrived, by his judicious management, to luring 
them over to Detroit without detection. 

Upon their arrival there. Colonel Butler projected an enter- 
prise, under Captain A. H. Holmes, of the 24th regiment, to 
whom he assigned the command of one hundred and sixty 
rangers and mounted infantry, and despatched him, on the 21st 
of February, against several of the enemy's posts. On the 3d 
of March, at the distance of fifteen miles from Delaware, Cap- 
tain Holmes received intelligence that the enemy, whose force 
consisted of a company of one hundred men, of the Royal 
Scotts, under Captain Johnson ;%tfor\y-fiye of the 89th regiment, 



AFFAIR OF TWENTY MILE CREEK. 345 

under Captain Caldwell ; fifty of McGregor's militia, and the 
same number of Indians, being in all two hundred and forty-six 
men, had left the village with an intention of descending the 
river. Captain Holmes's party had already suffered and been 
reduced by hunger and fatigue, and sixteen of his men, who 
were unable to march further, sent back to Detroit; with the 
remainder he did not deem it prudent to give battle to the ene- 
my, without the advantage of the ground, and, therefore, fell 
back five miles, to a position on Twenty Mile creek, leaving 
Captain Gill with a rear guard of twenty rangers to follow. 

This guard was overtaken by the enemy, and after exchang- 
ing a few shots, effected a retreat to the position which Captain 
Holmes then occupied. At Twenty Mile creek, there was a 
deep and wdde ravine, bounded on each side by a lofty height. 
On the western height, Captain Holmes had established an 
encampment in the form of a hollow square, the detachment 
from Detroit being on the north front of the square, the rangers 
on the w^est, and the militia on the south, and all protected by 
logs hastily thrown together. The regulars of the 24th and 2Sth 
regiments were stationed on the brow of the height, uncovered. 
In this situation the Americans aw^aited the attack, and Captain 
Holmes, by the skilful and judicious manner in which he posted 
himself, compelled his superior enemy to commence it. 

Early on the morning of the 4th, the British appearing in few 
numbers, on the eastern height, immediately opj)osite to the 
American camp, gave a loose fire and retired. Some time having 
elapsed without their reappearance, Captain Holmes despatched 
Lieutenant Knox, of the rangers, to reconnoiter them, who per- 
formed that duty with alacrity, and returned with an account 
that the enemy, w^hose number he judged to be not more than 
seventy, had retreated with such precipitation as to leave his bag- 
gage scattered on the road. This retreat was made for the pur- 
pose of drawing the Americans from the height, on which the 
British officer saw they were so advantageously posted. The 
attempt was attended by a partial success, for the American 
commander not being w^ell assured of the strength of his adver- 
sary, descended from the camp, and followed him in his retreat. 
Captain Lee, who commanded the advance in this march, which 

44 



346 



AFFAIR OF TWENTY MILE CREEK. 



— 



continued five miles, was fortunate enough to discover the enemy 
in full force, preparing for a resolute attack. The policy which 
had induced the British officer to draw the American from his 
strong ground, judging of it by its result, was founded in ex- 
treme weakness. Having succeeded in seducing him to a dis- 
tance of five miles, he supposed that Captain Holmes, with an 
inferior detachment, almost worn out with the hardships of a 
fourteen days' march, and the severity of the weather, would 
pause and give battle to a body of fresh troops, superior in num- 
bers and in discipline. He therefore never attempted to improve 
the advantage he had gained, by detaching a strong party to 
cross the ravine, above the road on which the Americans had 
marched, and to occupy the position which they just aban- 
doned. By this act he would have cut off all communication in 
the rear, and compelled Captain Holmes to disperse his party in 
the wilderness, or to yield at discretion. In either of these cases 
the American detachment would have been destroyed. 

APTAIN HOLMES fearing, however, that 
the enemy had attempted thus to cut him 
off, immediately retreated to the heights, re- 
established himself in his encampment, and 
a second time compelled the British regu- 
lars and their Indian allies to attack him 
on his own ground. 

The rangers and many of the infantry, not knowing the wis- 
dom nor the necessity of the measure, exhibited great marks of 
discontent at the retreat, and many of them refused to fight the 
enemy. But on his reappearance upon the opposite height, one 
impulse animated the whole detachment, whicli resolved on 
repulsing the assailants. The British commander then made a 
disposition to dislodge them, and throwing his militia and In- 
dians across the ravine, above the road, he ordered them to com- 
mence the attack upon the north, south, and Avest sides of the 
encampment ; whilst he charged down the road from the oppo- 
site height, crossed the bridge, and rushed furiously up the 
height occupied by the Americans, on their east or exposed side, 
with an intention of charging the regulars. This he did under 
a <Talling fire, which did not check his advances, until within 




REPULSE OF THE BRITISH. 347 



twenty i)aces of his object. There his front section being shot 
to pieces, and many of those who followed being wounded, his 
principal officers cut down, and the fire of the Americans increas- 
ing in vivacity, he abandoned the assault altogether, and took 
shelter in the neighbouring wood, at distances of fifteen, twenty, 
and thirty paces. Having arrayed his forces, he commenced a 
rapid fire from his cover, which w^as warmly returned, and in- 
creased on both sides. From those parts of the encampment 
protected by the logs, the rangers and militia fired with great 
coolness and precision. The regulars on the uncovered side, 
were directed to kneel, that they might be partially concealed 
by the brow of the height, and by these means were enabled to 
fire with more deliberation than their assailants. 

After one hour's conflict, the British gave up all hopes of dis- 
lodging the detachment, and at twilight commenced their retreat. 
Captain Holmes did not pursue them, because they were still 
superior in numbers, and might draw him at night into an am- 
buscade, in a country much better known to them than to him ; 
and, because he had already gained a sufficient triumph in re- 
pulsing and defeating the object of an experienced foe. The 
American loss amounted to six men killed and wounded. By 
their own official report, the enemy lost Captain Johnson, Lieu- 
tenant Grame, and twelve men killed, and Captain Besded, 
(Barden,) Lieutenant McDonald, and forty-nine men wounded, 
making a total of sixty-seven. The w^hole American force in 
action was one hundred and fifty rank and file, many of wdiom 
fought and marched in their stocking feet, and though the 
w^eather is extremely cold in that climate, in the month of 
February, they wT.re not permitted, nor did they express a wish, 
to take a shoe even from the dead. Captain Holmes soon after 
returned with his detachment to the Michigan territory, and re- 
ceived the thanks of the commandant, and the brevet rank of 
major from his government. He spoke of all his officers in very 
flattering terms, but particularly of Lieutenants Kouns and 
Henry, and Ensign Heard of the 2Sth, and Lieutenants Jack- 
son and Potter of the 24th, because their good fortune placed 
them in opposition to the main strength of the enemy. 

After this event detachments werev frequently sent out to re- 



348 



SECURITY OF THE TROOPS. 



connoiter the enemy's country, but for several weeks returned 
without being able to encounter any of his troops. Those on 
the American side of Detroit river, remained, therefore, in a state 
of perfect security ; and the commanders of the land and naval 
forces employed the time in projecting various plans, by which 
to establish fortifications on the Lake St. Clair; to cutoff the 
communications between Michilimackinac and the Indians ; and 
to secure the inhabitants of the territory from their incursions. 




OPERATIONS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER. 



349 




O retrieve the disastrous consequences of the 
last northern campaign ; to regain the posses- 
sion of the posts in Canada, which had been 
obtained by conquest, and lost by the inefficacy of the means 
provided to retain them ; to drive the enemy from the occupancy 
of the American garrison at the mouth of the Niagara ; and to 
command the frontiers on both sides of that stream ; various 
plans had been projected, numerous dispositions made, and 
measures were finally adopted for their achievement. To this 
end, General Brown, now elevated to the rank of major-general, 
was ordered to assemble and organize a division of the army at 
and in the neighbourhood of Black Rock and Buffalo. This 
division consisted of two brigades of regulars, the first com- 
manded by Brigadier-General Scott, formerly of the 2d artillery, 
and the second by Brigadier-General Ripley, formerly of the 
21st infantry. To these were added a brigade of New York 
volunteers, and a few Indians, under Brigadier-Generals I^orter 
and Swift. During the months of April, May, and June, (1814,) 

2G 



350 CAPTURE OF FORT ERIE. 

the concentration of this force was effected, and the principal 
part of tliat time employed in its discipline. 

Tlie first step towards the accomplishment of the objects of 
the present campaign, w^as the assanlt and capture of Fort Erie, 
at that time in command of Major Buck, and garrisoned by one 
hundred and seventy officers and men of the 8th and 100th 
reo-iments. On the morning of the 3d of July, therefore, in 
obedience to General Browm's orders, the two brigades of regu- 
lars embarked for that purpose. General Scott with the first, 
and a detachment of artillery, under Ma-jor Hindman, crossed to 
tlie Canada shore, about one mile below Fort Erie, and General 
Ripley with the second, about the same distance above. The 
landing of the second brigade was attended wdth much difficulty, 
in consequence of the impossibility of approaching the shore, 
with the gun-boats, in wdiich it had embarked. The debarlva- 
tion was, therefore, effected in two small boats, capable of con- 
taining at one time not more than fifty men. The first brigade 
was on tlic shore before a gun was fired by the enemy, who had 
a picket stationed near the place of landing. From these two 
points, on the right and left, the fort was rapidly approached by 
the regulars, whilst a party of Indians wdio had been crossed 
over, sldrted the w^ood in its rear. The garrison, entirely unap- 
prized of these movements, was completely surrounded, and 
General Brown demanded the quiet surrender of the post. A 
few guns only were fired, which wounded four men of the 25th 
regiment, under Major Jessup, of the first brigade, when Major 
Buck surrendered the fort to the invading army. Immediate 
possession was taken of the garrison, and the prisoners w^re 
marched to the interior of New York. The passage of the troops 
across the channel, and the conveyance of the prisoners to the 
American shore, was superintended by Lieutenant-Commandant 
Kennedy, of the navy. 

Major-General Rial, with a division of the British army, con- 
stituted of the best disciplined, and more experienced European 
regulars, was at this time intrenched at Chippewa, and thither 
it was determined the Americans should proceed to attack and 
rout him. Arrangements were therefore made for the security 
of the fort, and the j^rotection of the American rear, by tlie 



MARCH TO CHIPPEWA. 351 



establishment of a small "■arrison, under Lieutenant McDonousfh, 
of the artillery, and the disposition of the marine force, near and 
in front of the fort. 

On the morning of the 4th General Scott received orders to 
advance with his brigade and Towson's company of artillery 
upon Chippewa. In the course of the same day he was foUow^ed 
by General Ripley, and the field and park artillery, under Major 
Hindman, and by General Porter and his volunteers. On the 
right bank of Street's creek, two miles distant from the British 
works, the army was drawn up in three lines, the first brigade 
facing Street's creek and the bridge, the second brigade forming 
the second line, and the volunteers the third. The park of artil- 
lery was stationed on the right of the encampment, between the 
first and second line, and the light troops were posted within the * 
same space on the left. 

In its approaches from Fort Erie, along the Niagara to this 
position, the first brigade encountered the advanced corps of the 
enemy, strongly posted behind this creek. General Scott imme- 
diately ordered Captain Towson to go forward with his artillery 
and dislodge them. That gallant officer, m a few minutes com- 
pelled them to fall back, though not till they had intrepidly de- 
stroyed the bridge, over which the advancing column would be 
obliged to pass. 

About the time at which Captain Towson opened his battery 
upon the enemy, Captain Crooker, of the 9th infantry, had been 
directed to flank out to the left of the brigade, to cross the stream 
above the bridge, andto assail the right of the enemy's guard. 
This movement w^as made with so much celerity, that Captain 
Crooker reached the enemy's position, and was in full pursuit 
of him when the brigade column arrived at the bridge. After 
retreating a short distance, the British commander being aware 
of the impossilDility of Captain Crooker receiving a reinforce- 
ment of sufficient strength to combat the impetuosity of well 
appointed cavalrj^ until the bridge should be replaced, ordered 
his dragoons to turn upon, and cut up the detachment. Under 
the eye of the general commanding the brigade, and before the 
pioneers had rendered the bridge passable. Captain Crooker was 
surrounded and charged upon by a numerous troop of the British 



352 CAPTAIN crooker's gallantry. 

19th. His brave detachment determined to cut through this 
superior force, foucrht their way to a house not far from the 
place of attack, and having gained it, tiu'ned, at the order of their 
commander, upon the pursuing horsemen, and having first 
struck terror into their ranks, put them to a flight precipitate as 
their attack had been impetuous. At this moment. Captain 
Crocker, whose men might well be exhausted after so vigorous 
an engagement, was relieved from all apprehension of another 
assault from a fresh body of troops, by the arrival of Captains 
Hull and Harrison, and Lieutenant Randolph, with a small party 
of men who had been hastily thrown across the stream to his 
support. " In partisan war," the general of brigade observed, 
" he had witnessed nothing more gallant than the conduct of 
Captain Crocker and his company." 

At eleven o'clock in the evening of that day, the encampment 
was formed in the manner already described; and early on the 
morning of the 5th, the enemy commenced an attack in various 
detached parties, upon the picket guards surrounding it. One 
of these was commanded by Captain Treat, of the 21st infantry, 
and on its return to the camp, through a meadow of high grass, 
was assailed by a brisk discharge of musketry. One man fell, 
severely wounded, and the rear of the guard broke and retreated. 
Captain Treat's attempts to prevent the flight of the left of his 
detachment were mistaken for an intention to avoid the enemy ; 
and though he was ordered to a neighbouring wor)d, his guard 
being first collected in pursuit of the party that had attacked 
him, he was immediately after stripped of his command, upon 
the ground of cowardice, in retreating before the enemy, and of 
misconduct in abandoning the wounded man to their mercy. 
This man had, however, been brought in by Captain Treat's 
orders, previously to his march in quest of the enemy's party. 
Being resolved on a participation in some way or other in the 
approaching battle, the captain entered as a volunteer, in the 
same company which he had just before commanded ; and the 
senior oflicer of the 21st regiment directed him to lead a platoon 
into action. This act was considered as a manifestation of his 
courage and patriotism, and the court-martial before which he 
was tried dismissed him with an honourable acquittal. 



BATTLE OF CHIPPEWA. 



353 




HE vivacity of these assaults upon 

the pickets gradually diminished 

until midday, after which they were 

revived with unabating vigour. 

. General Riall, well acquainted with 

the position of the American forces, 

- and a^\-are of their intention to attack 

== him, determined upon issuing from 

__ ^ ^: his intrenchments, and by strikinsf 

y/ -' -sp^ai^^^:^ — - ^1^^ ^^^^ blow to intimidate, and 

probably throw into disorder the whole line of the invading 
army. With this view he crossed the Chippewa with every 
species of his force, threw his right flank, his Indians, and a 
large detachment of his light troops, into the wood, on the left 
of the American encampment, and approached gradually with 
his main body upon the left bank of Street's creek. The move- 
ment in the wood was discovered early enough to frustrate the 
design of the British commander, and General Brown ordered 
General Porter to advance with the volunteers and Indians, from 
the rear of the camp, to conceal himself from the enemy's view, 
by entering the wood, to drive back his light troops and Indians, 
and, if possible, to gain the rear of his scouting parties, and 
place them between his line and the division of regulars. As 
General Porter moved from the encampment, the American 
outposts and advanced parties fell back, under the fire of the 
enemy, in order to draw him upon the centre of the front line. 

General Porter met, attacked, and, after a short Imt severe 
contest, drove the enemy's riglit before him. His route to Chip- 
pewa was intercepted by the whole British column, arrayed in 
order of battle, and against this powerful force the volunteers 
desperately maintained their ground, until they were over- 
powered by the superiority of discipline and numbers. 

As soon as the firing became regidar and heavy between the 
volunteers and the enemy, General Brown rightly conjecturing 
that all the British regulars w^ere engaged, immediately ordered 
General Scott's brigade, and Towson's artiller3^ to advance and 
draw them into action on the plains of Chippewa. General Scott 
had no sooner crossed the bridge over Street's creek, t1ian he 



2o2 



45 



354 BATTLE OF CHIPPEWA. 

encountered and gave battle to the enemy. Captain Towson 
commenced his fire before the infantry battahons were in battle 
array, and upon their being formed, took post on the river, with 
three pieces, in front of the extreme right, and thence played 
upon the British right. 

The 9th regiment, and part of the 22d, forming the first bat- 
talion, under Major Leavenworth, took position on the right; 
the second battalion (11th regiment) was led to its station by 
Colonel Campbell, who, being soon wounded, was succeeded in 
the command of that regiment by Major McNeill. The third 
battalion, 25th regiment, was formed by Major Jessup on the 
left, resting in a wood. From this position that officer was 
ordered to turn the enemy's right wdng, then steadily advancing 
upon the American line. Whilst this order was in execution, 
and Jessup's battalion engaged in an animated contest with the 
British infantry, he detached Captain Ketchum with his com- 
pany, to attack a superior detachment, at that moment coming 
up to the reinforcement of the body against wdiich the 25th was 
engaged. Captain Ketchum flanked out, encountered the fresh 
detachment, and sustained a vigorous and desperate engagement, 
until the battalion cleared its owm front, and marched to the 
support of his company. 

This fortunate consummation of his plan, the major did not 
effect without a violent struggle. The British gave him an 
animated and destructive fire, his men were falling around him 
in numbers too great to leave him any hopes of victory ; and he 
became at length, closely pressed, both in flank and front. His 
regiment, nevertheless, betrayed not the least disposition to falter, 
and promptly obeyed his order to ^'support arms and advance,'" 
under this tremendous fire, until a position of more security w^as 
gained. From this he returned the enemy's fire wdtli such order 
and rapidity, that the British right flank fell back, and the bat- 
talion was enabled to come up in time to co-operate with Captain 
Ketchum' s detachment. 

The whole line of the enemy began about this time to recoil. 
On the American right, the battalion of Major Leavenworth was 
not only engaged with the British infantry, but frequently ex- 
posed to the fire of the batteries. One of his officers, Captain 



BATTLE OF CHIPPEWA. 357 



Harrison, had his leg carried off by a cannon ball ; but so doubt- 
ful, at that moment, did he consider the issue of the battle, that 
he would not suffer a man to be taken from his duty, to bear him 
from the field, and supported the tortlire of his wound with ex- 
treme fortitude, until the action ceased. 

Major McNeill's battalion was also engaged, from the com- 
mencement until the close of the action, and, together with 
Major Leavenworth's, received the enemy on the open plain ; 
of these the 9th and 2-2d were parallel to the attack, but the 11th 
had its left thrown forward so as to assail in front and flank, at 
the same time. Thus posted, Majors Leavenworth and McNeill, 
resisted the attacks of the enemy with great gallantry and zeal. 
On this end of the line, the fire was quite as incessant as on the 
left, and its effect not less destructive ; but the troops displayed 
an equal degree of animation. 

After the lapse of an hour from the commencement of the 
battle. Captain Towson, who had maintained his position on the 
river, notwithstanding one of his pieces, had been thrown out of 
action, having completely silenced the enemy's most powerful 
battery, turned his remaining pieces on the infantry, at that 
moment advancing to a charge. This accumulation of fire, the 
effective discharges of McNeill's musketry, peculiarly effective 
from their oblique position, the steadiness of the two battalions, 
and the apparent issue of the engagement between Jessup's and 
the British right wing, compelled General Riall to retire, until 
he reached a sloping ground, descending to -Chippewa. From 
the point formed by this ground, his troops fled in confusion to 
their intrenchments behind the creek, and having regained their 
works, retarded the approaches of the conquerors, by means of 
their heavy batteries, on which alone they relied for safety in the 
event of their being obliged to retire. 

About the time they commenced their charge. Major Hind- 
man had ordered forward Captain Ritchie's company of artillery, 
and one piece, a twelve-pounder, under Lieutenant Hall. They 
arrived in time only to participate in the close of the action, but 
joined Captain Towson in pursuing the enemy, under the fire 
of his batteries, until he threw himself into the intrenchments. 

Whilst the- first brigade was thus gallantly engaged with this 



358 



RESULTS OF THE BATTLE. 



superior force, in which were included the 100th regiment, 
under Lieutenant-Colonel the Marquis of Tweedale, and the 
Royal Scots, under Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon. General Ripley, 
whose brigade was already formed in line of battle, proposed to 
the commanding general, to pass the left of the first brigade, to 
turn the enemy's right, and by taking a position in his rear, 
prevent his retreat to the Chippewa. But as the volunteers w^ere 
at that moment falling back from the wood, on the left of the 
field. General Brown was of opinion that an attack would be 
made in that quarter, and deemed the presence of General 
Ripley's brigade necessary to receive and repel it. At the 
moment of their retreat, however, he determined to follow up the 
victory, by advancing against their Avorks with all his ordnance, 
and directed General Ripley to adopt the proposition he had 
made. But such was the precipitation of the retreat, that lliis 
movement became unavailing, and on the report of two recon- 
noitering officers, Major Wood of the engineers, and Captain 
Austin, an aid to the general, as to the situation and seciaity of 
the enemy's works. General Brown was induced to order all his 
troops back to their encampment. 

HIS sanguinary battle resulted, as 
may well be supposed, in an im- 
mense loss on both sides. That of 
the Americans in killed, wounded, 
and missing, amounted to three 
hundred and twenty-eight, sixty of 
whom were killed. Among the 
wounded, were Colonel Campljcll, 
Captains King, of the 22d, Read, of 
the 25tli, and Harrison, of the 42d, 
but doing duty with the 9th, Lien- 
tenants Palmer and Brimhall, of 
the 9th, Barron, of the 11th, and 
De Witt and Patchim, of the 25th. The loss of the British, in 
killed, wounded, and prisoners Avas, according to General 
Brown's report, three hundred and eight; but by Lieutenant- 
General Drummond's returns, there were one hundred and 
thirty-nine killed, three hundred and twenty wounded, and forty- 




PROMOTION OF OFFICERS. 359 

six missing, making a total of five hundred and five ; so tliat 
the number of the wounded British, was nearly equal to the 
aggregate loss of the Americans. Among these were the Mar- 
quis of Tweedale, Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon, Lieutenant- 
Colonel Dickson, Captain Holland, aid-de-camp to General Riall, 
seven captains, seventeen lieutenants, and four other subalterns. 

Tlie liveliest testimonies of the applause of the people, and 
the honourable approbation of the government were given to 
Generals Scott and Porter. The brevet rank of lieutenant- 
colonel was conferred upon Majors Jessup, Leavenworth, and 
McNeill; and of major, upon Captains Towson, Crooker, and 
Harrison. But there were other gallant and distinguished 
officers, who shared in the perils and the fortunes of the day. 
Among the most conspicuous of these were Lieutenants Worth 
and Watts, aids to General Scott; Lieutenant Smith, his major 
of brigade ; Major Wood, of the engineers, who superintended 
the construction of the works at Fort Meigs, during the memo- 
rable siege of that garrison ; Captain Harris, of the dragoons, 
and Lieutenant McDonald, of the second brigade, who penetrated 
a wood, and annoyed the enemy's Lidians. 

Intelligence having been communicated to Lieutenant-Gene- 
ral Drummond, of the defeat of Major-General Riall, that officer 
was immediately reinforced at Chippewa, by the 8th or King's 
regiment, from York ; on the arrival of which, he disposed his 
troops in such order as to repulse an assault from the Americans. 
General Brown meanwhile remained at his encampment at 
Street's creek, and on the 8th of the month, determined upon an 
attempt to dislodge General Riall. General Ripley was for this 
purpose ordered to proceed with his brigade to a point three 
miles above the British works, on the Chippewa, to open a road 
of communication between Street's creek and that point ; and to 
construct a bridge over the Chippewa, for the passage of the 
troops. This order was executed with great secrecy, and with- 
out loss of time, and the artillery was brought up in the course 
of the day, to cover the pioneers whilst constructing the bridge. 
The enemy had no knowledge of this movement until the 
brigade arrived at the creelv, and the artillery was already 
planted near its margin. General Riall, was then informed 



360 DEATH OF GENERAL SWIFT. 



by his outpost of these operations, and hastily forwarded a de- 
tachment of the royal artillery to check them. A cannonade 
ensued ; Init such was the effect produced by General Ripley's 
artillery, that the British pieces were withdrawn, the bridge was 
soon after completed, and General Riall apprehending an attack 
on his right flank and in front, from the formidable arrange- 
ments which he saw in preparation, abandoned his line of de- 
fenses, and retreated by the road to Queenstown. General Brown 
occupied the enemy's works that evening, and on the following- 
morning, (the 9th,) pursued the route to Queenstown. Riall had, 
however, retired to the Ten Mile creek. 

At Queenstown the American army was then encamped, and 
the commanding general held a council of war, for the j)urpose of 
maturing a plan of future and decisive operations. On the 12th, 
Brigadier- General John Swift, second in command to General 
Porter, and the same who had put the British marines to flight at 
Poultneyville, having offered to reconnoiter the enemy's position 
at Fort George, was detached with one hundred and twenty 
volunteers, to obtain a view of those works. On his arrival within 
its neighbourhood, he surprised and captured an outpost, con- 
sisting of a corporal and five men ; one of these, after having 
surrendered to the detachment and requested quarters, availed 
himself of an advantageous moment, treacherously fired at and 
shot the general, who, notwithstanding the suddenness of the 
attack, and the severity of his wound, instantly levelled his piece 
and killed the assassin. The alarm produced by this fire brought 
up a British patrolling party of sixty men, against whom Gene- 
ral Swift, regardless of the persuasion of his officers to attend to 
his wound, marched at the head of his detachment, and com- 
menced an attack which resulted in the retreat of the enemy's 
party. The general, however, whose wound was mortal, fell, 
exhausted l)y the loss of blood, before the termination of the skir- 
mish. His next officer beat the patrolling party into the fort, 
and returned to the encampment at Queenstown, with the body 
of his expiring commander. General Swift, whose loss was sin- 
cerely deplored l^y the whole army, and who had served with 
distinguished reputation, during the war of the revolution, was 
interred with the usual ceremonies and honours of a soldier. 



ADVANCE TO FORT GEORGE. 361 

The whole volunteer brigade to which the general was attached, 
solicited an opportunity to avenge the fall of their brave officer, 
and an opportunity was not long wanted. 

At the consultation which was held by General Brown and 
his principal officers, a plan of attack upon Fort George was pro- 
posed ; and, to the prejudice of a proposition, submitted by Ge- 
neral Ripley, of following up General Riall ; of driving him from 
the peninsula ; or of striking as severe a blow as that which he 
had received at Chippewa, and thus totally annihilating his force — 
was adopted by a majority of the council. In order to ascertain 
the possibility of capturing that fort by a coup de main^ the second 
brigade and the volunteers were directed to reconnoiter in the 
most secret manner. Whilst General Ripley approached along 
the Niagara, General Porter, to whose brigade was attached two 
field-pieces, under Captain Ritchie, of the regular artillery, ad- 
vanced by the way of St. David's and the Cross Roads, to Lake 
Ontario, whence he could obtain a full view of Fort Niagara, 
and enable the principal engineer, Major Wood, to examine the 
works on that side of Fort George. After viewing the northern 
face of Fort Niagara, General Porter moved in upon Fort 
George, drove in all the enemy's pickets, and formed his ]:)rigade 
in the open plain, within a mile of the fort. 

To enable the engineer to examine the works with more cer- 
tainty, he ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Wilcox to advance with 
his command, under cover of a small wood, within musket-shot 
of the garrison. These positions Avere maintained upwards of an 
hour and a half, during which time the British batteries opened 
upon the troops on the plain. Several detached parties sent out 
to attack the volunteer light troops, were successively repulsed, 
and the object of the expedition being accomplished. General 
Porter moved round the south side of the fort, and joined Gene- 
ral Ripley's brigade on the Niagara. As he retired, the enemy 
sent out several pieces of field artillery, and commenced a rapid 
fire upon his rear. The brigade, however, moved off in good 
order, with two men wounded ; Lieutenant Fontaine, of the ar- 
tillery, and an officer of the volunteers, had their horses liilled 
under them by a cannon ball. In his approaches to the lake, 
General Porter deemed it necessary to station videttes upon the 

3H 46 



362 ADVANCE TO FORT GEORGE. 



several roads leading to the fort. Five of these were captured 
by a party of twenty Canadian militia, residing in the neigh- 
bourhood, and some of whom had been in the American en- 
campment, professing to avail themselves of the terms of General 
Brown's proclamation, issued upon entering Canada, "that all 
persons demeaning themselves peaceably, and pursuing their 
private business, should be treated as friends." 

To give more certainty and effect to the assault of Forts 
George and Niagara, and to the occupation of Queenstown, St. 
Davids, and Newark, General Brown, previously to his passage 
of the Niagara strait, had adopted measures in conjunction with 
Commodore Chauncey, for the co-operation of the American 
squadron. On the 20th of July, he therefore moved with his 
whole force upon Fort George, and took a position with a portion 
of his troops on Lake Ontario, as well with a view to attempt 
that garrison, as to obtain some intelligence of the fleet. Com- 
modore Chauncey's extreme illness prevented the sailing of the 
fleet from the harbour, and General Brown, apprehensive of an 
attaclc upon the rear of his army, and of his communication with 
the encampment being cutoff by the militia then rising e7i masse, 
fell back to Queenstown on the 22d, to protect his baggage. 
Having there received intelligence of the detention of the fleet, 
he determined to disencumber the army of its heavy baggage, 
and to march against Burlington Heights, on the peninsula be- 
tween which and Erie, the enemy had, in the mean time, con- 
centrated his principal forces. To draw from Schlosser a supply 
of provisions necessary to this expedition, he retired on the 24th 
to the junction of the Chippewa and Niagara : with the exception 
of the 9th regiment, the army encamped on the right bank of 
the Chippewa. That regiment was posted on the north side of 
the stream, in and near a block-house in the advance. 

Lieutenant-General Drummond, anxious to redeem the tar- 
nished reputation of the British arms, and having now aug- 
mented his force, so as to feel capable of offering battle, without 
any doubt of its successful result, forwarded a division under 
General Riall, to Queenstown, who occupied the heights there, 
immediately after their abandonment by the Americans. From 
Queenstown, General Riall threw a large detachment of his 



GENERAL SCOTT AT NIAGARA. 363 

troops across the Niagara, to Lewistowii, with a view to the 
capture of the American sick and wounded, at that time in the 
hospital at Schlosser, and the destruction of the bag-gage, am- 
munition, and provisions, deposited at that place. By expresses 
from Colonel Swift, commanding at Lewistown, General Brown 
was informed of this movement, and almost at the same moment, 
a picket stationed beyond the 9th regiment, reported an advanced 
party of the enemy on the Niagara road. To draw him from 
his purposed pillage of Schlosser, General Brown, having no 
immediate means of bringing off his sick and stores, nor of 
transporting troops to their defense, ordered General Scott to 
move with his brigade, then consisting of about seven hundred 
men, and Towson's artillery, still attached to it, in the direction 
of Queenstown. 

At four o'clock in the afternoon of the 25th, (July,) the first 
brigade moved from the encampment in light marching order, 
the 9th regiment being in front of the column, and Captain 
Harris, with a troop of regular and volunteer dragoons, and a 
company of infantry, inider Captain Pentland, of the 22d, con- 
stituting an advanced corps. About two miles and a half from 
the Chippewa, and within a short distance of the Falls of Nia 
gara, the American and British advanced parties came within 
view of each other, and General Scott halted his column to 
reconnoiter the ground, and made arrangements for the reception 
or attack of the enemy. Lieutenant-Co] onel Leavenworth, with 
the 9th, consisting then of only one hundred and fifty men, was 
immediately ordered to take the left of the road, within support- 
ing distance of the column, which, on the execution of this 
order, again moved forward, the enemy retiring before it. 

On' an eminence, near Lundy's lane, at a point chosen by 
Major-General Riall, because of the decided advantage of the 
ground, the enemy was posted in great strength, with a for 
midable battery of nine pieces of artillery, two of which were 
brass twenty-four-pounders, and an extensive and heavy line of 
infantry. This position was extremely favourable to the opera- 
tions of the battery, and there the British general had long 
wished to engage the troops, who had compelled him to retire 
from every other, at which battle had been previously given them. 



364 BATTLE OF NIAGARA. 

On the arrival of General Scott's column at a narrow strip of 
woods, by which only the British line was obscured from his 
view, Captains Harris and Pentland were first fired on, and 
o-allantly engaged the enemy's advance, which had gradually 
retreated, to draw the American column to the situation at 
Lundy's lane. The brigade column was again immediately 
halted, Lieutenant-Colonel Leavenworth ordered to his situation, 
and Lieutenant-Colonel Jessup, with the 25th, detached to attack 
the left of the British line. The 9th, 11th, and 22d passed the 
advanced corps, and moving to the north of the wood, entered a 
smooth field, in full view of the enemy, and within cannister 
distance of his battery. The rear of the column having cleared 
the wood. General Scott ordered the line to be instantly formed. 
This order was not executed before the British opened a tre- 
mendous fire from their battery, and the whole line of their 
infantry drawn up on its right, and obliquely in its front. Tow- 
son, with his artillery, was stationed on the right of the 9th, and 
though they could not be brought to bear upon the eminence, 
he animated the American line, by an incessant discharge from 
all his pieces. 

Thus drawn up on both sides, the action continued with 
unceasing animation upwards of an hour, against a force then 
almost thrice superior to the American brigade. Li the course 
of that time, the 11th and 22d regiments, having expended their 
ammunition, Colonel Brady and Lieutenant-Colonel McNeill 
being both severely wounded, and all the captains of the former, 
and most of the officers of the latter, either killed or wounded, 
both regiments were withdrawn from action, and many of the 
officers, but principally subalterns, attached themselves to the 
9th, and fought under its gallant chief, in various capacities, and 
with unusual courage and perseverence. Among these were 
Lieutenant Crawford and Lieutenant and Adjutant Sawyer. 
Against the chief part of the British line, Lieutenant-Colonel 
Leavenworth, with the remains of the 9th alone, continued the 
engagement with unshaken firmness and bravery ; and was at 
length directed to advance and charge up the height, and with 
the 11th and 22d, to break the enemy's line. Reduced as these 
three regiments already were, by the excessive loss of officers 



BATTLE OF NIAGARA. 



365 




and men, they nevertheless steadily advanced,' with supported 
arms, until General Scott, learning the shattered condition of 
the 11th and 22d, countermanded the order. 

HE enemy was at this moment pressing- 
upon the left of the line ; the right of 
the 9th was, therefore, thrown forward 
to meet and repulse him, and the whole 
regiment commenced a fire more ani- 
mating, if possible, but certainly more 
destructive than the first. It is scarcely 
possible to do justice to the conduct of 
this gallant regiment, or of its intrepid 
commander. It had already given such 
signal instances of individual valour, as 
were never surpassed upon an open field. But valour alone is not 
competent to resist the repeated assaults of a numerous and 
increasing foe ; and against a prodigious inequality of numbers, 
it is sometimes little less than madness to contend. The 9th 
regiment was at length reduced to nearly half the number with 
which it had entered the field, and being still pressed by the 
enemy, ^^-^ho frequently charged with a fresh line, Lieutenant- 
Colonel Leavenworth despatched an ofiicer to General Scott, to 
communicate its condition. The general having been just 
informed of the approach of reinforcements from the Chippewa, 
rode immediately to the position of that regiment and directed 
it to maintain its ground. 

That indefatigable and excellent reconnoitering officer, Lieu- 
tenant Riddle, of the 15th infantry, had been sent out in the 
morning, with a party of one hundred men, to scour the sur- 
rounding country. He had not proceeded more than three miles 
from the encampment, when, in attempting to gain the rear of a 
scout of the enemy, he was informed by several of the inhabitants, 
of his being close upon a division of three thousand of the British 
troops. At the time of his leaving the cam.p, General Bro^vn 
had not been apprized of the contiguity of the enemy, and Lieu- 
tenant Riddle, therefore, hastened back with all possil^le speed 
to communicate the intelligence. The nature of the Grround over 
which he had to retrace his steps, and the extreme caution with 

2h2 



366 LIEUTENANT RIDDLE's RE I NF ORCE M E NT. 

which it was necessary to proceed, to avoid reconnoitering de- 
tachments of the enemy, lengthened his distance from the head- 
quarters upwards of five miles. He had not arrived at the posi- 
tion of the Americans at Chippewa, when he was apprized of 
the meeting of the hostile armies, by the repeated and heavy 
discharges of artillery. Naturally concluding that General 
Brown's whole force had proceeded to the field of battle, and not 
hesitating a moment as to the course he should pursue, he 
wheeled his detachment upon the Niagara road, and immediately 
marched to a participation in the engagement. This detach- 
ment was the first reinforcing party which arrived to the relief 
of the first brigade, and General Scott stationed it on his extreme 
left, with directions to Lieutenant Riddle to watch the motions 
of the British riflemen and Indians. 

By the same circumstance, the report of the artillery, General 
Brown was also first informed of the commencement of the ac- 
tion, and of its scene, and having directed General Ripley to 
follow with the second brigade, was already on his way to the 
falls, when he met the assistant adjutant-general, Major Jones, 
returning to the encampment at full speed for reinforcements. 
The intelligence communicated by Major Jones, induced the 
commander-in-chief to despatch him to order up General Por- 
ter's volunteers, in addition to the second brigade, and the park 
of artillery. General Brown then rode hastily, with his aids, 
accompanied by Major McRee, of the engineers, towards the 
field of battle, and on his further advance was met by a second 
messenger. Major Wood, also of the engineers, and who had 
marched with General Scott's brigade. From this gallant and 
accomplished officer, he received a report of the close and san- 
guinary character of the action, and directed him to return with 
him to the field. 

Exhausted and reduced as the 9th, 11th, and 22d regiments 
already were, another vigorous onset from the enemy, suffi- 
ciently numerous to interpose occasionally a fresh line, might 
probably decide the fate of the day, before the arrival of the ap- 
proaching reinforcements. The determined and obstinate man- 
ner, however, in which they had already received and repulsed 
the gallant and repeated charges of the British infantry, induced 



ADVANCE OF GENERAL BROWN. 367 

Major-General Riall to overate their force. But to whatever 
measure of strength these intrepid regiments amounted, he knew 
also, that the number of his combatants would be augmented 
from the oamp at Chippewa, and being assured of the necessity, 
in that event, of enlarging his own force, he despatched messen- 
gers to Lieutenant-General Drummond, at Fort George, to in- 
form him of the desperate nature of the conflict. Until this 
period of the engagement, his force, including the incorporated 
militia and some Indians, amounted to sixteen hundred and 
thirty-seven men, being more than double the strength by which 
he was opposed. 

Major-General Brown arrived at the scene of this obstinate 
struggle, about the time at wdiich General Scott ordered the 9th 
regiment to maintain its ground, and seeing the exhausted state 
of the troops, and the shattered condition of the brigade, deter- 
mined on holding it in reserve, whilst the reinforcing troops 
should continue the engagement. The 9th, 11th, and 22d regi- 
ments were, therefore, consolidated into one battalion, under 
Colonel Brady, who, though w^ounded, refused to quit the field 
until the result of the engagement should be known. General 
Ripley's brigade. Major Hindman's artillery, and General Por- 
ter's volunteers, all of whom had marched with unusual rapidity 
over a difficult road, were now within a short distance of Lundy's 
lane. General Ripley being in the advance, and within half a 
mile of the field, immediately despatched his aid-de-camp. Lieu- 
tenant McDonald, of the 19th infantry, to inform General Brown 
of his approach, and to receive instructions as to the situation of 
the enemy, and orders, as to the disposition of his brigade. 

Immediately before the arrival of General Ripley, a temporary 
pause prevailed between the two armies ; an awful and (but for 
the groans of the wounded soldiers) an unbroken silence was 
preserved among the troops on either side : the impetuous descent 
of the stupendous cataract of the Niagara, alone interrupted the 
pervading stillness, and contributed to the solemnity and gran- 
deur of the scene ; and the leaders of both forces having fallen 
back to their original positions, seemed mutually disposed to a 
momentary cessation of the sanguinary and fatiguing strife. 
The arrival of these reinforcements, under General Ripley, and 



368 CAPTURE OF GENERAL RIALL. 

of others, under Lieutenant-General Drummond put an end to 
this suspension of hostihties, and the engagement was renewed 
with augmented vigour. 

Major Hindman's artillery being brought up, the companies 
of Captains Biddle and Ritchie, in addition to Towson's detach- 
ment, soon came into action, and General Porter's volunteers 
were dis ilayed upon the left of General Scott's brigade. 
Lieutenam McDonald, who had been despatched for orders, 
havin"" met Captain Spencer, one of the aids of the commander- 
in-chief, bearing orders for the second brigade to form on the 
sliirts of the wood, to the right of the first, immediately returned 
to General Ripley with these directions. 

Meanwhile the 25th regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Jes- 
sup, which had been ordered, in the early part of the action, to take 
post on the right, had gallantly contended against, and succeeded 
in turning the enemy's left flank. Lieutenant-Colonel Jessup, 
availing himself of the extreme darkness of the night, and of the 
incaution of the British general, in not placing a proper guard 
across a road upon his left, threw his regiment in the rear of the 
enemy's reserve, and surprising one detachment after another, 
made prisoners of so many of their officers and men, that the opera- 
tions of his firearms was constantly impeded. General Drummond , 
who was now commanding in person the front line of the enemy, 
having determined on concentrating his whole force, and leading 
it to the attack of General Scott's brigade, in front, and on each 
flank, had despatched his aid-de-camp. Captain Loring, to bring 
up General Riall with the reserve. It w^as the good fortune, 
however, of Captain Ketchum, of this regiment, whose eminent 
services greatly contributed to the victorious issue of the battle 
at Chippewa, to make prisoners of Major-General Riall, who 
was wounded in the arm, and the aid of Lieutenant-General 
Drummond, before the reserve was put in motion. 

Had this concentration of General Riall's line, with that of 
General Drummond been effected, the reduced brigade, com- 
posed now only of the consolidated battalion, could not at this 
moment, and without the support of the second brigade, have 
withstood the assault of so overwhelming a force ; and the 
movement of Lieutenant-Colonel Jessup, therefore, unquestion- 



GALLANTHY OF COLONEL JESS UP. 369 



ably saved, that battalion. Having hastily adopted proper ar- 
rangements for the disposal of his prisoners, Lieutenant-Colonel 
Jessup felt his way to the spot where the warmest fire was kept 
up upon the brigade to which he belonged. Eastwardly of 
Lundy's lane, and on the south of the Queenstown road, he 
drew up his regiment behind a fence, from which he could 
effectually annoy the enemy. A party of the British infantry 
were at that time drawn up in front of a fence, on the opposite 
side of the same road, Lieutenant-Colonel Jessup's approach to 
his present position, had been made with so much secrecy, that 
they did not know he was there, until they received a deadly 
and destructive fire, which compelled them to break and fly 
along the Queenstown road. By the blaze of this fire, Lieutenant- 
Colonel Jessup was discovered to Major-General Brown, who 
rode up, applauded his conduct, and directed him to move by 
Lundy's lane, and form upon the right of the second brigade. 

The operations of that brigade were all this time carried on 
with the utmost brilliancy and success. When his aid-de-camp 
communicated the order of the commander-in-chief. General Rip- 
ley saw the impracticability of operating upon the enemy, from 
the position at which he was directed to display his column ; 
or of advancing from it, in line, upon an emergency, through a 
close wood. At the same moment, too, General Drummond's in- 
fantry and all his artillery had commenced a galling fire upon 
General Scott's brigade, which could only be supported by a 
direct movement of the second brigade, upon the centre of the 
enemy's line. The impenetrable darkness of the night rendered 
it difficult for the generals of brigade at all times to find the 
commander-in-chief, or each other, and General Ripley, there- 
fore determined to assume a responsibility, by adopting in time, 
the only movement which could save the first brigade from in- 
evitable destruction, and ultimately achieve the victory. 

He therefore proposed to Colonel Miller, the same who had 
distinguished himself in the earliest stage of the war at Maguaga, 
and who now commanded tlie 21st, or Ripley's old regi- 
ment, to storm the enemy's battery with that, whilst he would 
support him by leading up the 23d, a younger and less ex- 
perienced regiment, to a charge upon the British flank. Colonel 



47 



370 



DISPOSITION OF THE REGIMENTS. 




Colonel Miller at Luiidy's Lane. 



Miller, well knowing the perilous nature of this duty, replied to 
his general, " iV/ frij, si?',''^ and immediately put his regiment 
in readiness by forming it in line, on the left of the road, 
directly in front of his object. The 23d was at the same time 
formed in close column by its commander, Major McFarland, 
and the first which had arrived that day under Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Nicholas, from a long and fatiguing march, was directed to 
menace the enemy's infantry. Whilst these dispositions were 
making, General Ripley despatched his aid to apprize General 
Brown of the impossibility of forming on the skirt of the Avood, 
and of the measures which he had in consequence adopted. The 
commander-in-chief highly commended the design of the briga- 
dier-general, and instantly authorized its execution. With hearts 
panting for the accomplishment of this enterprise, these regi- 
ments moved forward under a rapid and destructive fire, 
directed against them, at their very onset, by the enemy's whole 
line of musketry and every piece of his cannon. The •21st 
nevertheless, promptly pressed forward; the 23d fliltered. 
It was, however instantly rallied by the personal exertions of 
General Ripley, who led it up to the contemplated charge. At 
a distance of little more than one hundred yards from the tojj 

* Words afterwards worn on the buttons of the 21st resfiment. 



CAPTURE OF THE BRITISH BATTERY. 371 

of the eminence, on which the British cannon were posted, and 
which these regiments were necessarily obUged to ascend, they 
received another, and equally as severe a discharge from the 
musketry and heavy pieces. 

The 21st was now, however, too much enamoured of its 
object, and the 23d too obstinately determined on retrieving 
its fame, to betray the smallest disposition to recoil from 
the near consummation of their bold and hazardous enterprise. 
By this fire. Major McFarland, of the 23d, was killed, and 
the command of that regiment devolved upon Major Brooke, 
an officer of no less intrepidity and valour. The description 
of a more brilliant and decisive movement may never have 
been registered on the page of history. To the amazement 
of the whole British line. Colonel Miller steadily and silently 
advancing up the eminence, until within a few paces of the 
enemy's cannon, impetuously charged upon the artillerists, and 
after a short but desperate contest, carried the whole battery, 
and instantly formed his line in its rear, upon the same ground 
on which the British infantry had been previously posted. 

In carrying the heaviest pieces, the 21st regiment expe- 
rienced severe losses, several officers of distinguished bravery 
and merit, being either killed or wounded. Lieutenant Cilley, 
who commanded an advanced company of that regiment, by a 
resolute and unexampled effiDrt, carried one of the guns, and fell 
wounded by its side immediately after. He had advanced upon 
it with such rapidity, as to bayonet the men stationed at it before 
they had time to escape, and cut down wdth his own hand, an 
artillerist who was applying a match to the piece. In the same 
charge Lieutenant Bigelow was killed, and Captain Biu'bank, 
and Ensigns Jones and Thomas, and Lieutenant Fisk, of the 19th, 
and Ensign Camp, of the 2d rifle, both attached to the 21st were 
wounded. 

The advance of the 23d upon the British infantry supporting 
the cannon, being as prompt as that of the 21st, both regnnents 
pierced the enemy's line at the same instant. Major Brooke, 
in obedience to the order of General Ilipley, led his battalion, 
under the eye of his commander, into the very ranks of the 
enemy, and putting them to a hasty and disorderly retreat. 



372 ADVANCE OF GENERAL DRUM M ON D. 

marched up to the rehef of Colonel Miller, who, though he had 
formed his line in the rear of the captured battery, had not yet 
driven the enemy below the eminence, and was at this moment 
closely pressed, almost at its summit. By the junction of these 
two regiments, however, and the bringing into line of the first, 
the fate of this assault was determined, the British infantry and 
artillerists retired beyond the reach of musketry, and their own 
cannon were turned against them. 

The features of the action now began to assume a new cha- 
racter. The heights from which the enemy had been thus gal- 
lantly dislodged, being a very commanding position, the main- 
tenance of tliem would alone determine the issue of the conflict, 
and General Ripley immediately formed his line for the protection 
of the newly acquired battery, and prepared to receive the assaults 
which he rightly conjectured would be made for its recovery. 

When the capture of General Riall was announced, before the 
dislodgment of the British from the eminence, the elation of the 
first brigade was manifested by three loud huzzas, which brought 
a shell from the enemy, that fell in Major Hindman's c-orps and 
exploded a casson of ammunition belonging to the company of 
the brave and lamented Captain Ritchie, who, being mortally 
wounded in the course of the engagement, fell into the hands of 
the British. Major Hindman was now directed to bring up his 
corps, including Towson's detachment, and post himself, with 
his own and the captured cannon, on the right of General Rip- 
ley's brigade, and between it and the 25th ; on the left of the 
second brigade, General Porter's volunteers were then ranged. 

The line being thus formed, at the expiration of a short inter- 
val, Lieutenant-General Drummond, incensed beyond measure 
at the capture of his artillery, resolved on regaining it, and being 
strongly reinforced, advanced upon General Ripley, with a 
heavy and extended line,. outflanking him on both extremes. In 
anticipation of his approach, which coiild only be discovered by 
the sound attending it, General Ripley had directed his troops 
to reserve their fire, until they had received that of the asailants, 
and, if necessary, to feel the bayonets, before they should dis- 
charge their pieces, with the double view of drawing the advanc- 
ing line witliin close striking distance, and of makino- his own 



REPULSE OF THE BRITISH. 373 

fire more deadly and eftective, by giving it a direction by the 
flashes of the enemy's musketry. 

On the other hand, Lieutenant-General Drummond, thus reso- 
lutely determined on the recovery of his cannon, gave a peremp- 
tory order to all his platoon officers, to advance steadily, and 
without regard to the tire of the American line ; and after attain- 
ing a given distance, to make .a prompt and vigorous charge, and 
if possible, to fall directly upon the cannon. His whole division 
therefore, marched at a quick step, until it came within twenty 
paces of the summit of the height, when the several regiments 
received orders to pour in a rapid fire upon the American line, 
and to follow it with an immediate appeal to the bayonet. This 
fire was no sooner delivered, than the second brigade, the volun- 
teers, and Lieutenant-Colonel Jessup's regiment, instantaneously 
returned it, and threw the enemy's line into a momentary con- 
fusion. But, being immediately rallied, it returned to a conflict 
more tremendous than any which had been witnessed in that 
day's battle. Upwards of twenty minutes, one blaze of fire suc- 
ceeded another, in each line ; sections, companies, and regiments, 
inutually fell back, and were successively rallied, and again 
Ijrought into action ; but at length the British line was forced 
back, and the doubtful contest terminated in their retiring to the 
low^er extremity of the hill. 

It was not to be supposed, however, that the enemy, the great- 
est proportion of whose troops had been accustomed to desperate 
feats of valour, and had encountered the most experienced bat- 
talions of the European armies, had yet consented to yield to 
an army but lately made up of the rawest materials, what in 
that event would be considered the trophies of a victory. 
Measures were accordingly instantly adopted by General Rip- 
ley to remove his wounded, and restore his line to proper order. 

Whilst this splendid repulse was given to the assault of the 
enemy. General Scott's consolidated battalion, which had been 
until this time held in reserve, was drawai up in the rear of the 
second brigade, under Lieutenant-Colonel Leavenworth, Colonel 
Brady's wounds having rendered him unfit for active duty 
General Scott's brigade major. Lieutenant Smith, and his aid. 
Captain Worth, being at this time both severely wounded, he 

21 



374 



SECOND ADVANCE OF DRUMMOND. 











General Miller. 



selected an aid from the 9tli regiment, and forming the battalion 
into colnmn, marched it across the field; and displayed it on a 
narrow lane, parallel with and to the south of Lnndy's lane. 
From this position he despatched Lieutenant-Colonel Leaven- 
worth to seek the commander-in-chief, and to receive his orders 
as to the disposition of the battalion. General Brown being 
conducted to its position by the colonel, a short conversation 
followed between the two generals, the result of which was the 
immediate movement of General Scott's command into Lundy's 
lane, where it was to be formed, with its right towards the Nia- 
gara road, and its left in the rear of the captured battery. 

Having given a new arrangement to his troops. General Drum- 
mond, after a lapse of half an hour, was discovered to be ad- 
vancino; to a second charsfe. He w^as received with undiminished 
firmness, and General Ripley's order to retain the fire being re- 
peated, the whole British line discharged its musketry from the 
same point at which it had previously paused. The light which 
was thence emitted, enabled the Americans to fire with the ut- 
most precision, and to check the enemy's nearer advance. The 
repeated discharges of Major Hindman's artillery, which was 
served with uncommon skill and regularity, were severely felt 
by the advancing line, and the officers attached to it behaved 
with coolness and gallantry. 



GENERAL SCOTT S CHARGE. 375 

The sitiiatioH on the top of the eminence gave many and de- 
cided advantages to General Ripley's command ; scarcely a shot 
was fired, which failed of hitting its object, whilst the fire of the 
British, being more elevated, generally went over the heads of 
the Americans. General Ripley being of a tall stature, and 
mounted within eight paces of the rear of his line, was by this 
circumstance constantly exposed to the enemy's balls. His horse 
w-as wounded under him, and his hat twice perforated in the 
course of the second attack. After the first discharge, in this 
effort to regain his battery, the British general determining to 
l)reak the centre of the American line, composed of the 21st 
regiment, and detachments of the 17tli and 19th levelled his 
fire at that point. With the exception of a few platoons, the 
21st, however, remained unshaken. These being immediately 
rallied by General Ripley, the contest continued with great vi- 
vacity, until the enemy finding he could not make another 
impression on the American, and feeling his own line recoiling, 
again fell back to the bottom of the eminence. 

Immediately after the commencement of this second contest, 
the remains of the first brigade were also brought into action. 
At the time of the second discharge, the two lines being nearly 
parallel, and enveloped in a blaze of fire. General Scott, who 
had approached the top of the eminence to ascertain their situa- 
tion, now^ rode hastily bock to his brigade, demanded, in an ani- 
mated voice, of Colonel Leavenworth, ''■arc these troojjs prepared 
for the charge T' and, without waiting for a reply, ordered them 
into close columns, their left in front, and to move forward and 
charge. This order being executed almost as soon as it was 
given, the general led up the column, and passing between 
the pieces of artillery, advanced upon the enemy's left. 

The gallantry of General Scott's troops, ho^^•ever, could not 
prevail against a double line of infantry, by which the British 
flank was supported, and this charge being met with unexpected 
firmness, the consolidated battalion fell back, and passed to the 
extreme left of General Porter's volunteers, who ^vere all this 
time warmly engaged with the enemy. Lieutenant-Colonel 
Leavenworth was then ordered to reform the column, and to 
change its front, which, being done, General Scott led it to a 



376 GENERAL SCOTT WOUNDED. 



second charge, and made a resolute attempt to turn the enemy's 
right. This flank being also protected by a double line, the 
attempt was not more successful than the former ; aud the 1)at- 
talion ajrain falling back, was ordered to form on the left of the 
line, whilst the general passed to the right, and joining Lieute- 
nant-Colonel Jessup's regiment, had his shoulder fractured by a 
musket ball, and almost at the same instant, received a severe 
wound in the side, which compelled him to leave the field ; not, 
however, without having first returned to Lieutenant-Colonel 
Leavenworth, whom he ordered to move to the right of the line 
and consolidate his battalion with the 25th regiment, the 
commander of which was also severely wounded. General Scott 
had hitherto escaped the fire of the enemy with singular good 
fortune : he had been constantly, and, probably, too often, in the 
most exposed situations : he led his troops in person to the sepa- 
rate charges, and never shrunk from any part of the engagement, 
however desperate or dangerous. He was now conveyed to the 
encampment at Chippewa, whence he was soon after removed 
to the American side of the Niagara. 

^^^ (R^H^ AVING thus failed in two vigorous and 
^^ Ix!?- y\^^^N>^ determined efforts for the recovery of his 
pieces, the British general began to despair 
of any better success from a third ; l3ut the 
fortunate arrival of another reinforcing party 
from Fort George, now protected by four 
of the British fleet, reanimating his troops, 
he put them in readiness for another charge, by forming a fresh 
line with the new detachment. Upwards of half an hour having 
elapsed since his second repulse, it was considered very doubtful 
by the Americans, whether their ability to maintain their ground 
would be put to another trial. Excessively fatigued by the 
violence of the last struggle, their canteens being exhausted, and 
no water (an article now almost as indispensable as ammuni- 
tion) at hand to replenish them, it would be wondered at if they 
had either courted or desired a renewal of the contest. But they 
were determined to lose no part of the reputation which they 
had that night acquired, and if the cannon were again to be 
defended, they would be defended with equal vigour and ani- 




THIRD CONTEST FOR THE CANNON. 



377 



mation. Their doubts were very soon removed by the approach, 
in a more extended hne, of the whole body of the British troops, 
who, independently of their reinforcements, had the advantage of 
being amply refreshed from the plentiful resources of Queens- 
town and St. David's. 

The advance of the enemy was no sooner made known to 
General Ripley's line, than the ardour of all his men instantly 
revived, and remembering the order of their gallant commander, 
to refuse their fire, they prepared to receive that of the approach- 
ing line. 

The British delivered their fire nearly within the same dis- 
tance as before, but they did not fall back from the fire of the 
Americans with the same precipitation. Their fresh line steadily 
advanced, and repeated its discharge ; the Americans remained 
firm, and returned it ; and an ol^stinate and tremendous conflict 
followed. The 21st again manifested its determined character, 
and, under the direction of Colonel Miller, dealt out a destructive 
fire upon its assailants. The right and left repeatedly fell back, 
but were as often rallied, and brought into the line, to preserve 
which, the exertions of the general and Colonels Miller, Nicholas, 
and Jessup, and all the other officers were constantly required. 

On the ^other hand, the fresh troops of the British, were as 
unshaken as their antagonists, the 21st ; but the regiments and 
sections which had been before repulsed, recoiled again, and 
were repeatedly urged forward by their officers. At length the 
two lines were on the very summit of the hill, each at the point 
of the bayonets of the other, and both appealing to that weapon 
with unusual force and rapidity. Such was the obstinacy of 
the contending parties, that many battalions on both sides were 
forced back by the vigour of the combat, and the British and 
American lines became mingled with each other. At that part 
of the height on which the cannon were stationed, the battle 
\vas most desperate. The enemy having forced himself into the 
very midst of Major Hindman's artillery, two pieces of which 
the officers of that corps were compelled to spike, he was warmly 
engaged across the carriages and guns ; and the slaughter which 
took place upon the eminence, sufficiently evinced his detenni- 
nation to recapture, and the resolution of the American artil- 



2 1 2 



48 



378 FINAL DEFEAT OF THE BRITISH. 



lerists to retain the trophies which the gallantry of the infantry 
had won. 

The close and personal contests now prevailing from one end 
of the line to the other, produced a degree of confusion, which 
the coolness and energy of the general could scarcely suppress. 
The broken sections were at length, however, restored to the 
line, and having regained their several positions, compelled the 
enemy's right and left wings to fall back. The centre of his 
line, imitating the example of the flanks, also gave way, and the 
assault upon the artillery, after a dreadful conflict, being at this 
moment repulsed, the whole British line fled precipitately a third 
time. The personal and most active exertions of their principal 
officers could not retard the flight of the troops, and they retreated 
beyond the reach either of musketry or cannon. General Drum- 
mond, seeing that the repulse of this last and most determined 
effort had wearied and depressed his line, and feeling assured 
that it would be difficult to lead them on to another attempt, 
which, too, in all probability, would be followed by a more dis- 
astrous discomfiture, consented to relinquish his cannon, and 
retired beyond the borders of the field, over which were strewed 
the dead and wounded of both armies. 

At the commencement of the last charge, Major-General Brown, 
while attending to the formation of Lieutenant-Colonel Leaven- 
worth's battalion, was severely wounded by a musket ball, in 
the ricrht thio-h. A little while after, he received a second wound 
on the left side, and being compelled to quit the field, retired 
also to the Chippewa, and devolved the command on General 
Ripley. Though the British had been forced to withdraw from 
the action, that officer, not knowing whether they had yet 
yielded the victory, or whether they contemplated the adoption 
of measures, by which still to retrieve the honour of their arms, 
reformed his line, and held it in readiness to receive an attack, 
in whatever manner it should be made. 

Convinced of the necessity of the removal of the captured can- 
non, and of the immense loss which would thence be prevented. 
General Ripley had frequently despatched his aid to General 
Brown, for the means of transporting them from the field. No 
means were, however, at hand, most of the horses being already 



MENDACITY OF THE BRITISH. 379 

killed, and the remainder necessary to draw off the American 
pieces. General Ripley, therefore, at the close of the engage- 
ment, ordered General Porter to detach a party of his volunteers 
to assist in their removal. But the British guns being unlim- 
bered, and in a dismantled condition, it was found to be imprac- 
ticable to draw them away, but by means of dragropes ; none 
of which were at that time on the ground. Reluctant as were 
all the troops of the line to abandon the trophies which had been 
gained by the resistless valour of the second brigade, to difficulties 
now found to be insurmountable, they were obliged to yield. 

It was at this moment, while in conversation with Lieutenant- 
Colonel Leavenworth, whose battalion was then condensed with 
the 25th regiment, and commanded l^y Lieutenant-Colonel Jessup, 
and who had been sent by that olhcer, for directions as to the 
dispositions of the first brigade, that General Ripley received an 
order from General Brown to collect the dead and wounded, and 
to return with the army to its encampment on the Chippewa. 
Li obedience to the wishes of the commander-in-chief, this order 
was put into immediate execution. Major Hindman, with the 
artillery, was already on his march, and the remnants of the 
regular and volunteer brigades, having first rolled the smaller 
pieces of the enemy's cannon down the precipice, returned to the 
camp in good order, and without molestation, about one o'clock 
on the morning of the 26th. 

In this instance, as at the defense of Sackett's Harbour, where 
it has been seen, the British troops were opposed and repulsed 
by the same commander, the enemy claimed another decisive 
and more brilliant victory. The governor-general. Sir George 
Prevost, and the commanding-general, Drummond, complimented 
the regulars and militia engaged in it, '■'for tlieir exemplary 
steadiness^ gallantry, and discipli?ie, in rejndsing all the efforts of a 
numerous and determined enemy, to carry tlie position of Lundfs 
lane^ and announced, " that their exertions had been croivned 
with success, by the complete defeat of the enemy''' 

If, upon ground of their own selection, and with a body of 
sixteen hundred and thirty-seven men, to assail an advance party 
of an enemy of only seven hundred and fifty, and after an hour's 
obstinate conflict, to repose on their arms, until they could be 



380 REMARKS ON THE BATTLE. 

relieved by reinforcements ; — if, after a mutual reinforcement, 
their enemy's numbers should amount to two brigades of four- 
teen hundred and fifty infantry, a detachment of three hundred 
and sixty-seven artillery, and a corps of six hundred volunteers, 
makino- in all two thousand four hundred and seventeen men, 
and their own force should consist, according with a report 
of one of tlieir officers, of three thousand four hundred and 
fifty regulars, twelve hundred incorporated militia, and four 
hundred and eighty Indians, making in all, five thousand one 
hundred and thirty men, and, with this disparity of strength, 
they should be driven from the eminence on which they had 
advantageously posted themselves, wdth the loss, too, of all their 
cannon ; — if, after three desperate assaults, any one of them up- 
wards of twenty minutes in duration, for the recovery of their 
battery, and with the ability to interpose fresh lines, to be suc- 
cessfully repulsed, with immense losses, and after a contest of 
six hours (from half past five in the evening, until twelve at 
night) between some of the best disciplined troops of Europe, 
and the newly raised recruits, the former eventually to withdraw 
from the field, and leave their enemy in possession, not only of 
their cannon, but of one of their generals, the second in command, 
the first having narrowly escaped capture. If this be to effect 
the complete defeat and overthrow of their adversary, the Britisli 
troops certainly achieved a brilliant and decisive victory ; the 
governor-general of the Canadas was in the performance of his 
duty when he complimented them for their steadiness ; and the 
prince regent of England betrayed no precipitation, wdien he an- 
nounced it to the world, and permitted " Niagara" to be worn 
upon the caps of one of the regiments. 

The captured artillery, it is true, w^as reobtained hy its 
original owners, but its return to their possession was neither 
the result of any desperate effort to regain it, nor the evidence 
of a victory. They had entered into the engagement under 
circumstances highly advantageous. Their force could be 
continually augmented either by requisitions for militia, or by 
the concentration of their regulars from the neighbouring posts, 
and was already double the strength of the Americans. Tliey 
were surrounded by deposits of ammunition, and being in tlje 



RESULTS OF THE BATTLE. 



381 



vicinity of the garrisons, could at any time administer to the 
wants of their army. Not so the Americans. They were 
at a distance from any resources, whence they might derive 
either supplies or reinforcements. Their numbers had been 
lessened by repeated skirmishes with the enemy, and by the 
casualties commonly incident to armies. With the odds against 
them, they had been drawn into this tremendous struggle, 
the long duration of which so much exhausted their troops, and 
reduced their numbers, that after becoming the entire masters 
of the field, and keeping possession of it nearly an hour, they 
retired, with a force not amounting to the complement of two 
regiments. In this reduced state, and without the means of 
removing the captured property, they left the enemy's cannon 
at the foot of the eminence, on which they had proudly and 
gallantly wrested it from him. Had their means been less limited, 
they might have embellished the conquest not only with these, 
but other splendid trophies, j)ut all disputation for ever at rest, 
and left no alternative to the enemy, but an acknowledgment 
of his defeat and disgrace. In a battle, desperate and tremendous 
as this is represented to have been, the losses on each side must 
necessarily have been immense. In killed, wounded, prisoners, 
and missing, the total of both armies amounted to one thousand 
seven hundred and twenty-nine, the proportion being nearly 
equal, and the killed and wounded alone one thousand three 
hundred and eighty-four. On the side of the enemy, one assist- 
ant adjutant-general, one captain, three subalterns, and seventy- 
nine non-commissioned officers and privates were killed ; Lieu- 
tenant-General Drummond, Major-General Riall, and three 
lieutenant-colonels, two majors, eight captains, twenty-two sub- 
alterns, and five hundred and twenty-two non-commissioned 
officers and privates were wounded; and the prisoners and 
missing amounted to one aid-de-camp, (Captain Loring,) five 
captains, nine other subalterns, and two hundred and twenty 
non-commissioned officers and privates, making in all eight 
hundred and seventy-eight men. 

Many officers of distinction fell also on the other side, and the 
total loss was little less than that of the British. It consisted of 
one major, five captains, five subalterns, and one hundred and 



382 REMARKS ON THE BATTLE. 

fifty -nine non-commissioned officers and privates, killed ; Major- 
General Brown, Brigadier-Generals Scott and Porter, two aids- 
de-camp, one brigade major, one colonel, four lieutenant-colonels, 
one major, seven captains, thirty-seven subalterns, and five 
hundred and fifteen non-commissioned officers and privates, 
wounded; and one brigade major, one captain, six subalterns, 
and one hundred and two non-commissioned officers and privates, 
missing ; making a grand total of eight hundred and fifty-one, 
and a difference of twenty-seven only, between the contending 
parties. 

Of the individual gallantry of the officers, from the highest in 
rank down to the youngest subaltern, the most positive evidence 
is furnished, by the long list of killed and w^ounded. Every 
man upon the field being engaged in the battle, the bravery 
of no one officer w^as distinguishable from another, except in 
those instances wdien, by the change of the enemy's movements, 
detachments w^ere thrown into situations, from which they could 
be extricated only by the most daring intrepidity. 

When the American forces returned to their encampment at 
the Chippewa, Major-General Brown directed General Ripley 
to refresh the troops, and proceed with them, early in the morn- 
ing, to the battle ground — with a view, no doubt, to reconnoiter 
the enemy, and if he loitered near the field, in a position from 
which he might be advantageously driven, to engage him ; but 
certainly not to assail a superior force, under circumstances, to 
the last degree unfavourable, and wdiich would inevitably result 
in the total destruction of the American army. The troops, now^ 
amounting to about fifteen hundred and sixty, being put in 
motion, in obedience to this order General Ripley despatched 
reconnoitering parties in advance of his main body. From these 
he learned that the enemy w^as posted on the field in advance 
of his former position on the eminence, reinforced as had been 
reported by the prisoners, his line drawn up between the river 
and a thick wood, his flanks resting on each, and his cannon 
stationed so as to enfilade the road. Under such circumstances, 
it would have been highly injudicious to have attacked him, 
and w^here no advantages are to be gained, the useless effusion of 
human blood is a stain upon the ability and valour as well as 



RIPLEY RETIRES TO FORT ERIE. 



383 



upon the judgment and humanity of the soldier. General Ripley, 
seeing the impossibility of regaining the field of battle, and the 
probability of his own flanks being compelled to fall back, by the 
immense superiority of the enemy's numbers, turned his army 
towards the Chippewa; wdience, having first destroyed the 
bridges over that stream, as well as the platforms, which he had 
previously constructed at the enemy's old w^orks there, he pur- 
sued his retreat towards the Fort Erie, and reached it in good 
order on the following day. There he determined upon making 
a decided stand against the British troops, whose regular and 
gradual approaches he anticipated. 




384 



OPERATIONS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER. 




CHAPTER XIX. 



^iirlliec ©jperatbim^ en t|)g 'NafflgaTa iFreEtift. 




HIS retrograde movement of the Ame- 
rican army was no sooner effected, 
and the situations of the different 
regiments allotted in the encamp- 
ments, than the commanding general 
(Ripley) immediately directed the 
lines of defense to be extended, the 
fort enlarged, and new batteries erected. With the aid of the 
engineers, Lieutenant-Colonels Wood and McRee, defenses of 
abatis, traverses, intrenchments, and redoubts were instantly 
commenced, and from the 27th of July until the 2d or 3d of 
August, the troops were employed night and day, in placing 
the works in a state to sustain the expected and almost certain 
attack. Had Lieutenant-General Drummond followed up the 
victory which he claimed, he would have found the shattered 
American brigades scarcely in any kind of condition to resist 
him. But the cautious enemy did not choose to pursue a 
retreating army, whose troops had given him such signal proofs 



BRITISH APPROACH FORT ERIE. 385 

of their intrepidity, until his own numbers were again enlarged. 
On the 29th of July, being reinforced by the right and left 
wings of De Watteville's troops, eleven hundred strong, he 
pushed forward to the investment of the fort. This rein- 
forcement extended his numbers to five thousand three hundred 
and fifty-two men, and with this formidable superiority of 
strength, he appeared on the 3d day of August, before a fort, 
which but a few days before was declared by the enemy to be a 
wretched stockade, altogether incapable of defense. 

Having driven in the American pickets, and formed his en- 
campment two miles distant from the garrison, he gradually ap- 
proached within four or six hundred yards of the fort, properly 
so called, commenced a double line of intrenchments, erected 
batteries in front of them at points from which he could throw 
in an eflfectual fire, and planted his cannon so as to enfilade the 
works. Seeing by these indications that the British commander 
was preparing for a regular siege. General Ripley availed him- 
self of the time thus lost by the enemy in opening his trenches, 
and carried on his defensive arrangements with unceasing 
alacrity. 

The approach of the British army, on the 2d of August, being 
discovered by Major Morgan of the 1st riflemen, to whom, with 
a detachment of two hundred and forty men, the defense of the 
village of Buffalo, which had regained its former flourishing 
condition, was intrusted, he suspected the enemy of making a 
feint upon Fort Erie, with a view to an actual attack upon Buf- 
falo. To defeat any such object, he immediately took a position 
on the upper side of Conejockeda creek, cut away the bridge 
crossing it, and threw up a breastwork of logs in the course of 
the niglit. Though the British general had no intention of 
making a feint, Major Morgan's precautions, in anticipation of 
an attack, were not uselessly adopted ; for, early in the morning 
of the 3d, a detachment^ of the enemy's 41st regiment, under 
Lieutenant-Colonel Tucker, crossed the Niagara, in nine boats, 
and landed about half a mile below the creek. At the approach 
of day, the British colonel commenced an attack upon the de- 
tachment, and sent forward a party to repair the bridge under 
cover of his fire. Major Morgan did not attempt to retard the 

2K 49 



386 DEFENSE OF FORT ERIE. 

enemy's advances until he was within rifle distance, when he 
opened a fire which proved so destructive, that Lieutenant- 
Colonel Tucker fell back to the skirt of a neighbouring wood, 
and kept up the contest at long shot. In the mean time General 
Drummond threw over reinforcements, and the British detach- 
ment now amounted to nearly twelve hundred men. With this 
force Colonel Tucker attempted to flank his antagonist, by de- 
spatching his left wing to ford the creek above, and press down 
upon the opposite side ; this movement being observed, Major 
^Iorgan sent forward Lieutenants Ryan, Smith, and Armstrong, 
to oppose the fording party. Between these detachments an 
engagement took place a short distance above the breastwork, 
and after several heavy discliarges, the enemy fell back to his 
main body, with considerable loss. Lieutenant-Colonel Tucker, 
finding that the object of his expedition against Buffalo, the re- 
capture of General Riall, and the destruction of the public stores 
there, could not be achieved without an immense loss, and 
knowing the desire of Lieutenant-General Drummond, to aug- 
ment, rather than decrease the force destined for the siege of the 
fort, on the opposite shore, he determined on abandoning the 
enterprise, and drawing of his troops to Squaw island, returned 
thence to the Canadian shore. With so small a force Major 
Morgan could not attempt to annoy him in his retreat. He is 
supposed to have lost a considerable number of men, many dead 
bodies being found in the creek, and upon the field, and six pri- 
soners being taken by the detachment. In this gallant little 
aff'air. Captain Hamilton, and Lieutenants Wadsworth and 
Mcintosh of the riflemen, and five privates were wounded, and 
two privates killed. 

By the 7th of August, most of the batteries and traverses about 
Fort Erie were completed. Upon a battery upwards of twenty 
feet high, and situated at Snake Hill, the southern extremity of 
the worlvs, five guns were mounted, aryi the command given to 
Major Towson, of the artillery. Two other batteries between 
Towson's and the main works, one mounting three guns, under 
Captain Biddle, and the other two guns, under Lieutenant Fon- 
taine, were also completed. The northern point of the fort had 
been extended to the water, and the Douglass battery, of two 



DEFENSE OF FORT ERIE. 



387 



guns, erected on the bank. The dragoons, infantry, riflemen, 
and volunteers, were encamped between the western ramparts 
and the water, and the artillery, under Major Hindman, stationed 
within the main works. 

Whilst these preparations were making, several partial can- 
nonades took place, without any known effect on either side. 
Before any regular firing was commenced, Brigadier-General 
Gaines arrived at the fort, and assumed the command of the 
army. General Ripley then returned to the command of his 
brigade. The British army was now strongly posted behind 
their works, and General Gaines determined to ascertain their 
strength, and endeavour, if possible, to draw them out. On the 
Gth, he sent the rifle corps, with Major Morgan, who had been 
previously transferred from the American shore, to pass through 
the woods, intervening between the British lines and the fort, 
and with orders to amuse the enemy's light troops, until his 
columns should indicate an intention to move; in that event. 
Major Morgan was to retire gradually, until his corps should 
have fallen back upon a strong line posted in the plain before 
the fort, to receive the pursuing British troops. 

HE object of this movement failed — Major 
Morgan having encountered and forced 
the enemy's light troops into the lines, 
with the loss of eleven killed, and three 
wounded, and made prisoners ; and not- 
mthstanding he maintained his position 
upwards of two hours, he could not suc- 
ceed in drawing forth the main body of 
the British troops. He therefore returned 
to the fort, after losing five men killed, and four wounded. 

By the 10th, the enemy's line was protected by several block- 
houses, and a long wooden breastwork. To examine these works, 
Captain Birdsall, of the 4th rifle regiment, was sent out with 
a detachment of the 1st, and his own company, amounting in all 
to one hundred and sixty men. After some skirmishing, he 
succeeded in beating in two of their picket guards, with a loss 
on their side of ten men killed, and one killed and three 
wounded of the riflemen. 




388 DEFENSE OF FORT ERIE. 

On the 12th, a working party of the enemy, supported by a 
guard of his light troops, M^as discovered to be opening an 
avenue for the construction of an additional battery, from whicli 
to annoy the rear of the fort. Agreeably to the orders of General 
Gaines, Major Morgan detached about one hundred men, under 
Captain Birdsall, to cut them off; that officer immediately 
assailed the guard, and after a smart contest, drove in both it 
and the working party. In the event of the enemy's guard 
being reinforced from their lines. Major Morgan had been also 
ordered to hold his corps in readiness to support Captain 
Birdsall ; and as a large body of the enemy w^as observed to be 
approaching upon the detachment, the major promptly moved 
forward and engaged it. A warm and spirited conflict fol- 
lowed, in which several men were killed on both sides. At 
length, however, an additional party of the enemy coming up 
to the aid of that engaged, Major Morgan ordered his corps to 
retire, and had scarcely given a signal to that effect, when he 
received a musket ball in the head, which for ever deprived the 
garrison and the country of his valuable services. The corps 
was conducted to the fort l)y Captain Birdsall, and the body of 
its brave and lamented commander interred at Buffalo, with the 
proper honours and solemnities. 

During these repeated skirmishes, and in the intervals, be- 
tween the sorties of detachments, the besiegers and the besieged 
were diligently engaged in strengthening their respective works ; 
and from the 7th until the 14th of the month, an almost unceas- 
ing fire was kept up between them, with various effect. On 
the night of the 14th, the emotion and tumult in the British 
encampment gave certain indications of an intended attack upon 
the fort. General Ripley, always on the alert, Avas among the 
first to discover these indications, and having first ordered his 
brigade, stationed to the left, to be formed within the line of 
defense, he despatched his aid. Lieutenant Kirby, to inform 
General Gaines of his conviction of the enemy's contemplation. 
General Gaines was himself already persuaded that an attempt 
would very soon be made to storm the garrison ; and Lieutenant 
Kirby had no sooner delivered his message at head-quarters, 
than the firing of a picket, commanded by Lieutenant Belknap, 



DEFENSE OF FORT ERIE. 389 

of the infantry, assured him that the moment had arrived. Dis- 
positions were immediately made to receive the assault, and 
the troops of the garrison anticipated its result with pride and 
enthusiasm. 

Lieutenant-General Drummond having appointed the morn- 
ing of the 15th for a vigorous and sudden assault upon the 
fort, had previously arranged the order of attack in three col- 
umns, to be made at three distinct points, with a view to harass 
and distract the garrison. His right column, under Lieute- 
nant-Colonel Fischer, of the 8th, and composed of parts of the 
89th and 100th regiments, De Watte ville's, detachments from 
the royal artillery with rockateers, and a picket of cavalry, 
was to make a detour of three miles through the woods, and to 
assault the southern extremity of the works. His centre column, 
under Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, of the 104th, and com- 
posed of detachments from that and the 41st regiment of 
infantry, of the royal artillery, seamen and marines, was to 
be conducted by Captain Barney, of the 89th, to the attack of 
the fort. The left column under Colonel Scott, of the 103d, 
and composed of that regiment, was to be led by Captain Elliot, 
to penetrate the openings in the works between the fort and the 
lake, and to scale the battery upon the bank. In advance of 
Lieutenant Fischer's column, the British pickets on Buck's 
road, together with the Indians of the encampment, were to be 
pushed on by Lieutenant-Colonel Nichols, to drive in the 
American outposts. The royals, another part of De Watteville's 
regiment, the Glengarians, and the incorporated militia, under 
Lieutenant-Colonel Tucker, were to be held in reserve ; and 
the 19th light dragoons, stationed in the ravine in the rear of 
the fort, to receive and convey the prisoners to the encampment, 
a duty which it did not fall to their lot to perform. 

General Gaines, not knowing at what points the assault would 
be made, prepared to receive it at all those which he suspected 
the enemy might judge to be assailable. The command of 
the fort and bastions was given to Captain Alexander Williams, 
of the artillery, which, with the battery on the margin of the 
lake, under Lieutenant Douglass, of the engineers, and thence 
called the Douglass battery, formed the north-east and south-east 

2k2 



390 



EXPLOSION OF THE MAGAZINE. 




General Gaines. 



angle of the works. In a block-house, near the salient bastion, 
a detachment of the 19th infantry was stationed under Major 
Trimble. The batteries in front, under Captains Biddle and 
Fanning, were supported by General Porter's volunteers, and 
the corps of riflemen. The whole body of artillery, distributed 
throughout the garrison was commanded by Major Hindman. 
The first brigade of infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Aspin- 
wall, was posted on the right; and General Ripley's brigade 
supported Towson's battery, and the line upon the left. On the 
evening of the 14th, a few hours before the commencement of 
the assault, and whilst these dispositions were making to repel 
it, one of the enemy's shells fell into a small magazine within the 
American works, and produced an awful explosion. From one end 
of the British line to the other, a loud shout was in consequence 
uttered, but as no bad effect followed the explosion, the shout was 
repeated in the fort, and in the midst of the enemy's exultation, 
Captain Williams immediately discharged all his heavy pieces. 
At half an hour after two, on the morning of the 15th, though 
the darkness was excessive, the approach of Lieutenant-Colonel 
Fischer, with the right column, thirteen hundred strong, was 
distinctly heard on the left of the garrison. The 2d brigade, 



ASSAULT ON FORT ERIE. 



391 



the command of the 21st regiment having been given to Lieute- 
nant-Colonel Wood, of the engineers, and the artillery of Tow- 
son's battery were prepared to receive him. Marching promptly 
forward, Lieutenant-Colonel Fischer assailed the battery with 
scaling ladders, and the line toward the lake with the bayonet. 
He was permitted to come close up to the works, when the 21st 
and 23d regiments, and the artillery upon the battery opened a 
sudden and tremendous fire, which threw his whole column into 
confusion, rendered him utterly unable to sustain the contest, 
and prevented his making an impression upon the works. Having 
i'e tired some distance to reorganize his column, he immediately 
made new arrangements for, and varied the shape of, his next 
attack, so as to avoid those points, from which the greatest 
measure of destruction had been dealt out to him. According 
to the general plan, however, which it was incumbent on him 
to pursue, it was necessary that the battery should be carried ; 
but, with the means to effect this object he Vv'as badly provided. 
With scaling ladders of no more than sixteen feet in length, he 
could not possibly throw his troops upon a battery of about 
twenty- five feet high, and his second attempt, equally furious as 
the first, met with no greater success. He was again repulsed, 
and with considerable loss. Convinced of his inability to get 
possession of the battery, and feeling the deadly effects of the 
incessant showers of grape which were thrown upon him, he 
determined in his next effort to pass the point of the abatis, by 
wading breast deep into the lake, to which the works were open. 
In this attempt also he was unsuccessful, nearly two hundred 
of his men being either killed or drowned, and the remainder 
precipitately falling back. W ithout waiting to know the result 
of the attack, upon the right of the works, which had been al- 
ready made by the second and third column, he ordered a retreat 
to the British encampment, which he did not effect, without the 
loss of many of his rear guard, taken prisoners, in a sally made 
from the works by the order of General Ripley. 

The attack from the centre and left column, the first of seven 
hundred, and the second of eight hundred men, was reserved 
until the contest became very animated between Lieutenant- 
Colonel Fischer's column and the troops upon the left. From the 



392 ASSAULT ON FORT ERIE. 

line of defenses, between the Douglass battery and the fort, and 
from those in front of the garrison, Lieutenant-General Drum- 
mond supposed reinforcements would be drawn to the aid of the 
southern extremity of the works, and with this view he had given 
greater strength to his right, than to his other columns, and in- 
tended to avail himself of the consequent weakened state of the 
north and south-east angles of the American post. 

The pickets being driven in, the approach of Lieutenant- 
Colonel Drummond was heard from the ravine, and Colonel 
Scott's column at the same time advanced along the margin of 
the water. From the salient bastion of the fort. Captain Wil- 
liams immediately opened his hre upon the centre column, whilst 
the approach of Colonel Scott was attempted to be checked by the 
Douglass battery, and Captains Boughton's and Harding's New 
York and Pennsylvania volunteers on its right ; the 9th infantry 
under Captain Foster, on its left ; and a six-pounder, planted at 
that point; under the management of Colonel McRee. At fifty 
yards distance from the line, the enemy's left column made a 
momentary pause, and instantly recoiled from the fire of the 
cannon and musketry. But the centre column, having advanced 
upon every assailable point of the fort, in defiance of the rapid 
and heavy discharges of the artillery, and having ascended the 
parapet by means of a large number of scaling ladders, its ofiicers 
called out to the line, extending to the lake, to desist firing — 
an artifice which succeeded so well, that the Douglass battery, 
and the infantry, supposing the order to proceed from the gar- 
rison, suspended their fire, until the deception was discovered. 
The left column in the mean time, recovered from its confusion, 
and was led up to a second charge, from which it was again re- 
pulsed before it had an opportunity of planting the scaling lad- 
ders, and with the loss of its commander, and upwards of one- 
third of its men. . 

Whilst the second attempt was in operation, the centre column 
was, with great difl^iculty, thrown back from the sctlient bastion ; 
and the troops within the fort, were quickly reinforced from 
General Ripley's brigade, and General Porter's volunteers. But 
Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, actuated by a determination 
(not to be overcome by a single repulse) to force an entrance into 



ASSAULT ON FORT ERIE. 



395 



the garrison, and momentarily expecting- the reserve to be ordered 
up by the heutenant-general, returned to the assault a second 
and a third time. By the gallant efforts, however, of Major 
Hindman, and his artillery, and the infantry detachment of Major 
Trimble, he was, each time, more signally repulsed than before; 
and Colonel Scott's column having withdrawn from the action, 
upon the fall of its leader, Lieutenant Douglass was busily en- 
gaged in giving such direction to the guns of his battery, as to 
cut off the communication between Drummond's column and 
the reserve of Lieutenant-Colonel Tucker. 

HE new bastions which had been com- 
menced for the enlargement of the 
old Fort Erie, not being yet com- 
pleted, the only op})osition wliich 
could be given to the enemy's ap- 
proaches upon those points, was by 
means of small arms. The batteries 
of Captain Biddle and Captain Fan- 
ning (formerly Fontaine's) in the 
works intervening between Towson's 
battery and the fort, were, therefore, 
opened u])on the enemy with great 
vivacity, and his advances from the 
plain, frequently checked l^y those 
gallant and meritorious officers. 

After this third repulse, Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, taking 
advantage of the darkness of the morning, and of the heavy 
columns of smoke, which concealed all objects from the view of 
the garrison, moved his troops silently round the ditch, repeated 
his charge, and reascended his ladders with such velocity, as to 
gain footing on the parapet, before any effectual opposition could 
he made. Being in the very midst of his men, he directed them 
to charge vigorously with their pilvcs and bayonets, and to show 
no quarter to any yielding soldier of the garrison.* This order 




* General Gaines, in his official letter, speaking of Lieutenant-Colonel Drummond, 
observes, " The order of ' Give the Yankees no quarter,'' was often reiterated by this 
officer, whose bravery, if it had been seasoned with virtue, would have entitled him to 
the admiration of every soldier." 



396 ASSAULT ON FORT ERIE. 

was executed with the utmost rapidity, and the most obstinate 
previous parts of the engagement formed no kind of parallel to 
the violence and desperation of the present conflict. 

Ca})tain Williams, and Lieutenants McDonough and Wat- 
mough, of the artillery, being in the most conspicuous situations, 
were personally engaged with the assailants, and were all se 
verely wounded ; tlie first, Captain Williams, mortally.* Not 
all the efforts of Major Hindman and his command, nor Major 
Trimble's infantry, nor a detachment of riflemen under Captain 
Birdsall, who liad posted himself in the ravelin, opposite the 
gateway of the fort, could dislodge the determined and intrepid 
enemy from the bastion ; though the deadly effects of their fire 
prevented his approaches beyond it. He had now complete pos- 
session of the bastion. About this time. Lieutenant McDonough's 
wounds rendered him almost incapable of further resistance, and 
he demanded quarter from the enemy, but Lieutenant-Colonel 
Drummond personally refused it, and repeated his instructions 
to his troops to deny it in all instances. The shocking inhu- 
manity of this order roused the exhausted spirit of the lieutenant, 
and, seizing a handspike, he defended himself against a numerous 
party of the assailants, until he received a pistol shot discharged 
at him l)y the hand of their commander. Lieutenant-Colonel 
Drummond survived this act but a few moments, the fall of 
McDonough being avenged hy a person standing near him, who 
immediately shot the colonel through the breast. 

The loss of their leader did not check the impetuosity of the 
enemy's troops, and they continued in the use of their pikes and 
small arms until the day broke, and repulsed several furious 
charges made upon them by detachments of the garrison. The 

* This amiable young officer was the son of Colonel Jonathan Williams, who had 
long been at the head of the United States engineer department, to whom the nation is 
greatly indebted for the construction of many of the principal fortifications; and who 
was a member elect of the fourteenth congress, from the city of Philadelphia. The 
captain was also formerly of the engineer corps, but having been transferred to the ar- 
tillery, and being anxious to share in the honours and the perils of^ the campaign of 
1814, he solicited to be sent to the Niagara frontier, and received an order to repair 
thither from Fort Mifflin, a garrison which, for several months, he had commanded with 
reputation. Early in the spring of that year, though in a state of convalescence from a 
dancrerous fever, he proceeded to the lines, and joined the army of General Brown, in 
which no officer was more universally esteemed. 



ASSAULT ON FORT ERIE. 397 



approach of daylig-ht enabled both parties to give a more certain 
direction to their fire. The artillerists had already severely 
suffered ; but, witli those that remained, and a reinforcing de- 
tachment of infantry, Major Hindman renewed his attempts to 
drive the British 41st and 104th from the bastion. Captain Bird- 
sail, at the same moment, drawing out his riflemen from the 
ravelin, rushed through the gateway into the fort, and joining in 
the charge, received an accidental wound from one of his own 
men, just as the attack failed. Detachments from the 1st brigade, 
under Captain Foster, Avere then introduced over the interior 
bastion, to the assistance of Major Hindman ; these detachments 
were to charge at a different point of the salient or exterior 
bastion, and were handsomely led on by Captain Foster and the 
assistant inspector-general. Major Hall. This charge also failed; 
the passage up the bastion not being wide enough to admit more 
than three men abreast. It was frequently however repeated, 
and thouofh it sometimes occasioned much slauo^hter amonfr the 
enemy's infantry, was invariably repulsed. By the operations 
of the artillery from a demi-bastion in the fort, and the continual 
blaze of hre from the small arms, added to the effects of the re- 
peated charges, the enemy's column, being considerably cut up, 
and many of its principal officers wounded, began to recoil; 
which, being observed by the besieged party, and the contest 
having entirely subsided on the left flank of the works, reinforce- 
ments were brought up from that point, and many of the enemy's 
troops, in a few moments, thrown from the bastion. 

The British reserve was now expected to come up; the guns 
at the Douglass battery had by this time been turned so as to en- 
filade that column in its approach ; Captain Fanning was already 
playing upon the enemy with great effect ; and Captain Biddle 
was ordered to post a piece of artillery so as to enfilade the salient 
glacis. This piece was served with uncommon vivacity, not- 
withstanding Captain Biddle had been severely wounded in the 
shoulder. All these preparations being made for an effectual 
operation upon the enemy's remaining column, and from the 
dreadful carnage which had already taken place, it was scarcely 
supposed that he would continue the assault much longer. But 
three or four hundred men of the reserve, were about to rush 

2L 



398 RESULT OF THE ASSAULT. 

upon the parapet to the assistance of those recoihng, when a tre- 
mendous and dreadful explosion took place, under the platform, 
which carried away the bastion, and all who happened to he 
npon it.* The enemy's reserve immediately fell back, and in 
a short time the contest terminated in the entire defeat of the 
assailants, who returned with the shattered columns, to their 
encampment. 

On retiring from the assault, according to the report of 
General Gaines, the British army left upon the field two hun- 
dred and twenty-two killed, among whom were fourteen officers 
of distinction, one hundred and seventy-four wounded, and one 
hundred and eighty-six prisoners, making a total of five hun- 
dred and eighty-two. Others who were slightly wounded had 
been carried to their works. 

The olficial account of Lieutenant-General Drummond docs 
not acknowledge so large a number in killed, but makes the 
aggregate loss much greater. His adjutant-general reported 
fifty-seven killed, three hundred and nine wounded, and five 
hundred and thirty-nine missing — in all nine hundred and five. 

The American loss amounted to seventeen killed, fifty-six 
wounded, and one lieutenant, (Fontaine,) who Avas thrown over 
the parapet while defending the bastion, and ten privates pri- 
soners — in all eighty-four men ; making a difference in their 
favour of eight hundred and twenty-one. During the cannonade 
and bombardment which commenced on the 13th, and continued 



* This explosion, to which alone the enemy attributed the failure of his arms, not- 
withstanding the signal repulses of his right and left columns, has been variously 
accounted for. It was occasioned by the communication of a spark to an ammunition 
chest, placed under the platform of the bastion, but by what means the narrator of this 
event has not been able, after an investigation of many papers written to him upon the 
subject, to ascertain. It is to be regretted, that a fact constituting so important a feature 
in this memorable defease, should never have been satisfactorily developed. Several 
letters from officers, engaged at the right flank of the American works, state it to have 
been the result of entire accident; whilst others relate, that Lieutenant McDonough, not 
having been immediately removed from the foot of the bastion, on which he had been 
twice wounded, and being highly exasperated at the determination which he saw in the 
conduct of the enemy's troops to show no mercy to the vanquished soldier, resolved upon 
devoting himself to stop the ])rogress of their inhuman career, and to this end threw a 
lighted match into a chest of ammunition, and by its immediate explosion, produced 
those tremendous eifects, which restored the bastion to the Americans, and terminated 
the conflict. 



GENERAL GAINES WOUNDED. 399 

until an hour before the assault on the morning of the 15th, forty- 
five men of the American garrison were killed and wounded. 
Captain Biddle, Lieutenant Zantzinger, and Adjutant-Lieute- 
nant Watmough, of the artillery, and Lieutenant Patterson, of 
the 19tli infanty, among the latter. 

A night or two before the attack upon Fort Erie, the British 
general furnished Captain Dobbs, of the royal navy, with a 
sufficient number of troops to man nine boats, which w^ere com- 
pletely fitted, to attack the three schooners, the Somers, Porcu- 
pine, and Ohio, then lying at anchor off" the fort. The Porcupine 
succeeded in beating them off, but the Somers and Ohio were 
carried, after a gallant resistance, in which the enemy lost two 
seamen Ivilled, and four wounded ; and the schooners, one seaman 
Ivilled, and three officers and four seamen wounded. The cap- 
tured schooners were taken down the Niagara, and anchored 
near Frenchman's creek ; the Porcupine immediately after sailed 
for the town of Erie. 

In consequence of his immense losses in the assault, the 
enemy's force was reduced almost to the number of the troops 
within the garrison ; and until he was again reinforced, he did 
not think proper to carry on his operations. A few days brought 
him a reinforcement of two full regiments, and having enlarged 
his batteries, and made arrangements to force the Americans to 
the evacuation of Fort Erie, he opened a fire from his whole 
line, and threw in hot shot, shells, and every destructive imple- 
ment within his reach, without intermission, during the re- 
mainder of the month of August. On the 28th General Gaines 
was severely wounded in several parts of his body, by a shell 
Avhich fell through the roof of his quarters, and exploded at his 
feet. He was fortunate enough to escape suffocation, by gaining 
the door of the apartment, but being entirely disabled, he retired 
to Buffalo, and left the command again in the hands of General 
Ripley, who neglected no means to facilitate the completion of 
the works, which, with the assistance of the engineers, he had 
originally planned. 



•v^^ 



400 OPERATIONS ON THE NIAGARA FRONTIE 




CHAPTER XX. 

HE o|jerations against tlie enemy's 
positions along the Niagara liad 
scarcely been entered upon, wlion 
the governor-general, k-^h* George 
Prevost matured the plan of an ex- 
pedition, having for its object, the 
invasion of the American territory 
from Lower Canada ; the defeat and 
destruction of the right division of 
the United States army, then lying 
in the neio'hbonrhood of Plattsburff, 
under Major-General Izard ; and 
tlie subjugation of the country to 
Crown Point and Ticonderoga. No 
offensive measures, against any part of Lower Canada, by this 
army, being in contemplation, and the apprehensions of the war 
department having been strongly excited about the safety of the 
left division, after its investment at Fort Erie, General Izard 
received orders to march for that post, with a reinforcement of 




PREVOST S EXPEDITION. 401 

the largest proportion of his troops, and to assume the command 
of the garrison. Accordingly, after detaching about fifteen hun- 
dred men, under Brigadier-General Macomb, most of whom were 
either sick or convalescent, and requiring of General Mooers, of 
the New York militia, the aid of a few volunteer companies, for 
the defense of Plattsburg, he marched for Sackett's Harbour, 
^vith upwards of three thousand men. Being thus left in com- 
mand of a position, open to the attacks of the enemy's naval, as 
well as his land forces. General Macomb neglected no precaution 
to prevent surprise, and to put his small army in the best state 
of discipline, though on the 1st of September, in consequence 
of the best brigades having been broken up, to form General 
Izard's division, he had but one battalion properly organized. 
Tlie works erecting were on that day unfinished, and the troops, 
therefore, divided into detachments to complete them. 

Transports, with troops, had been continually arriving at Que- 
bec, from England, and such was the secrecy and address with 
which Sir George Prevost made preparations for his intended 
expedition, that, before the 1st of September, he had organized 
a powerful army of fourteen thousand men, opposite Montreal, 
constituted of the most experienced generals, and distinguished 
officers of the British army. This comparatively immense force 
consisted of three brigades, and a corps of reserve, the brigades 
being divided into twenty-four divisions, and having a staff com- 
posed of two lieutenant-generals, five major-generals, and a pro- 
portionate number of assistants and deputies. The respective 
l^rigades were commanded by major-generals Robertson, Powers, 
Brisbane, and Baynes, (adjutant-general.) Major-General Kempt 
comuianded the reserve. Sir Sidney Beckwith was quarter- 
master-general to this army, and Lieutenant-General De Rotten- 
burg, the second in command ; Sir George Prevost commandino- 
in person. 

Al)out the 1st of the month, lie occupied with these troops the 
village of Champlain, and issued addresses and proclamations, 
inviting the citizens to his standard, and promisino- them the 
protection of his majesty's government. From Champlain he 
continued to make gradual approaches towards Plattsburg, until 
the 6th. Early on the morning of that day, he made a rapid 

3l2 51 



402 DEFENSE OF PLATTSBURG. 

advance, in two columns, one coming down tlie Beckmantown 
road, and tlie other along the Lake road. At a bridge crossing 
Dead creek, intersecting the latter. General Macomb had sta- 
tioned a detachment of t\\-o hundred men, under Captain Sproul, 
of the 13th, to abatis the woods, and to place obstructions in 
the road ; after which, he was to fortify himself with two field- 
pieces, sent with him for that purpose, and to receive orders 
fro]}i Lieutenant-Colonel Appling, who, with one hundred rifle- 
men, ^^'as reconnoitering the enemy's movements some distance 
in advance of this position. The brigade of General Brisbane, 
which approached tlirougli the Beckmantown road with more 
rapidity than the other, was met by about seven hundred militia, 
under General Mooers, who, after a slight skirmish with the 
enemy's light parties, with the exception of one or two compa- 
nies fled in the greatest disorder. Those who were intrepid 
enough to remain, were immediately formed with a corps of 
two hundred and fifty regulars, under Major Wool, of the '20th, 
and disputed the passage of the road for some time. But their 
fears also getting at length the belter of tlieir judgment, notwith- 
standing the enemy fired only from his flankers and patrolling 
parties, they followed the example of their comrades, and pre- 
cipitately retired to the village. Major Wool's regulars remained 
firm, liowever, and l)eing joined by Captain Leonard's park of 
flying artillery, and the 6th, and a detachment of the 34th regi- 
ments, continued to annoy the advanced parties of the British 
column, and killed Lieutenant-Colonel Wellington, of the 3d, or 
buffs, wdio w^as at its head. 

General Macomb, at this moment ]iersonally directing the 
movements in the town, soon saw that the enemy's object in 
making so much more rapid a march on its west, than on the 
north, was to cut ofl' Lieutenant-Colonel Appling's and Captain 
Sprout's detachments, despatclied his aid. Lieutenant Root, with 
orders to those officers to withdraw their forces from Dead creek, 
to join the detachment of Major Wool, and to fall upon the 
enemy's right flank. Whilst Lieutenant-Colonel Appling was 
proceeding in ol)edience to this order, he was encountered on 
the north side of the town by the light divisions of the enemy's 
1st brigade, s(mt for the purpose of cutting him off, and wliich 

2 1 



DEFENSE OF PLATTSEURG. 



403 



had that moment emerged from the woods. Their numbers were 
superior, and had he been delayed an instant longer on the Lake 
road, he must inevitably have yielded. Here he engaged, but 
after a short contest, retired before them. Li the centre of the 
town he re-engaged them, and l^eing joined by Major Wool, was 
ordered to retire to the American works on the south of the 
Saranac. 

HE retreat was eifected in good 



order, and covered by a guard of 
one hundred and twenty men, 
under Captain McGlassin, of the 
15tli infantry ; the detaclimcnls 
alternately retiring and keeping 
up a brisk and effectual fire upon 
the British columns. Having 
reached the Avorks with a trifling 
loss. General Macomb ordered 
Lieutenant Harrison, of the 13th 
under the direction of Major AVool, 
and protected by Captain Leonard's artillery, to destroy the 
bridge over the Saranac. 

This order was not executed without some difficulty, the Bri- 
tish having occupied the houses near the bridge, with their light 
troops, kept up a constant fire from the windows, and wounded 
Lieutenants Harrison and Turner, of the 13th and Taylor, of the 
34th. These troops were, however, soon after dislodged by a 
discharge of hot shot from the American works, and in conjunc- 
tion with the right column, were engaged the remainder of the 
day in various attempts to drive the guards from the several 
bridges. But the planks had all been taken up, and being- 
placed in the form of breastworks, served to cover the American 
light parties stationed for the defense of the passages. 

The obstructions which had been thrown in the way of tlie 
column advancing by the Lake road, and the destruction of tlie 
bridge over Dead creek, greatly impeded its approaches, and, in 
attempting to ford the creek, it received a severe and destructive 
fire from the gun-boats and galleys anchored in front of the 
town. But not all the galleys, aided by the armament of the 




401 DEFENSE OF PLATTSBURG. 



whole flotilla, wliicli then lay opposite Plattsburg, under Com- 
modore McDonough, could have prevented the capture of Ma- 
comb's army, after its passage of the Saranac, had Sir George 
Prevost pushed his whole force upon the margin of that stream. 
Like General Drummond at Erie, he made a pause, m full view 
of the unhnished works of the Americans, and consumed five 
days in erecting batteries, and throwing up breastworks, for the 
protection of his approaches. Of this interval the American 
o-eneral did not fail to avail himself, and kept his troops con- 
stantly employed in finishing his line of redoubts. 

Whilst both parties were thus engaged in providing for the 
protection of their forces, the main body of the British army 
came up with the advance ; and General Macomb was also re- 
inforced by the militia of New York, and the volunteers from 
the mountains of Vermont. Skirmishes between light detach- 
ments, sallies from the different works, and frequent attempts to 
restore the bridges, served to amuse the besiegers and the be- 
sieged, while the former w^ere getting up a train of battering 
cannon, and the latter strengthening their lines, and preparing 
to repel the attack. In one of tliese skirmishes on the 7th, a 
British detachment making a violent effort to obtain possession 
of the pass of a bridge, was handsomely repulsed by a small 
guard under Lieutenant Runk of the 6th infantry, who received 
a musket ball in his body, and expired on the following day. 
He was the only ofiicer killed during the siege. 

The New York militia and Vermont volunteers were now 
principally stationed at the different bridges crossing the Sara- 
nac, or in the wood opposite the fording places. From these 
positions they annoyed the enemy's guards, and poured repeated 
discharges of musketry into his masked batteries. 

Two of General Macomb's new works were called Fort Brown 
and Fort Scott, and opposite the former, it was suspected a very 
powerful masked battery had been constructed, in order sud- 
denly to demolish it, at a time of general attack. To discover 
the truth of this suspicion, and if possible to destroy or to muti- 
late such a work. Captain McGlassin, on the night of the 9th, 
volunteered his services to ford the river with a competent 
detachment. His enterprise was approved of by the general, 



DEFENSE OF PLATTSBUR.G. 407 

who assigned him the command of fifty men. With these the 
captain succeeded in fording the river nearly under Fort Brown, 
and upon gaining tlie opposite shore, proceeded with great 
secrecy aljout three hundred yards. At this distance from the 
margin of the river, he encountered a guard of one hundred and 
fifty men, whom he instantly engaged, and with such vigour 
and address, as to deceive them, with respect to his own force, 
and after a short contest to drive them behind a vv'ork, \\-hich he 
discovered to be the suspected masked batterv. 

Having succeeded in tlie accomplishment of one of the objects 
of his enterprise, neither Captain McGlassin, nor his Ijrave de- 
tachment, could think of returning to the army, without having 
signalized the expedition by some act, more important in its 
consequences than the putting to flight an enemy's guard, hoAv- 
ever superior in numbers. He accordingly led up his detach- 
ment to charge upon the work, into wliich the British guard had 
fled, and by one or two vigorous onsets, in which he had but 
one man wounded, he carried the l)attery, and entirely routed 
its defenders, with the loss of their commanding officer and 
sixteen men killed, and several wounded. Being now in pos- 
session of a work which would have incalculably annoyed the 
batteries at Fort Brown, Captain McGlassin destroyed it with 
all possible haste, and returned to tlie American works with the 
loss of three men missing. For this gallant and hazardous essay, 
which had a tendency not only to deceive the British general 
with regard to the actual force of General Macomb's army, and 
to inspire the troops, militia as well as regulars, with a spirit of 
enterprise, but placed a principal work. Fort Brown, beyond 
the possibility of being silenced. Captain McGlassin received the 
public thanlvs of his commanding officer, and the l)revet rank of 
major from the president of the United States. 

On the morning of the 11th, the motives of the British general, 
in delaying his assault upon the American works, became ap- 
parent. Being assured of his ability at any time to destroy them 
]jy a single effort, he was regardless of the manner in which 
they might be gradually strengthened, and awaited the arrival 
of the British squadron from Lake Champlain, in co-operation 
with wliich he contfmplated a general attack, and the easy cap- 



408 ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH FLEET. 

ture of the American fleet and army. On that day his fleet, 
consisting of a large frigate, the Confiance, of thirty-nine guns ; 
the brig Linnet, of sixteen ; the sloops Chub and Finch, (for- 
merly the United States sloops Growler and Eagle,) of eleven 
guns each; and thirteen gun-boats and row-galleys, mounting 
in all ninety-five guns, and having a complement of one thousand 
and fifty men, made its appearance, under Captain Downie, 
round Cumberland Head, and immediately engaged the Ameri- 
can squadron under Commodore McDonough, then moored in 
Plattsburg bay, and consisting of the ship Saratoga, the brig 
Eagle, the schooner Ticonderoga, the sloop Preble, and ten 
gun-boats, mounting altogether eighty-six guns, (the largest 
vessel carrying twenty-six,) and being manned with eight hun- 
dred and twenty men. 

The first gun from the Confiance was the signal for a general 
action, and Sir George Prevost instantly opened his batteries 
npon the works on the opposite bank of the Saranac. A tremen- 
dous cannonade ensued ; bomb shells and congreve rockets were 
thrown into the American lines during the whole day, and fre- 
quent but ineff'ectual attempts made to ford the river. At a 
bridge aljout a mile up the river, an attempt to throw over a di- 
vision of the enemy's army was handsomely repulsed l)y a de- 
tachment of regulars ; and an effort to force the passage of the 
bridge in the town was effectually checked by a party of rifle- 
men, under Captain Grosvenor. But the principal slaughter 
took place at a ford three miles from the works. There tlie 
enemy succeeded in crossing over three companies of the 76th 
regiment before his advance was impeded. A body of volun- 
teers and militia, stationed in a contiguous wood, opened a heavy 
fire upon them, and after a spirited contest, in which one of these 
companies was entirely destroyed, its captain killed, and three 
lieutenants, and twenty-seven men made prisoners, those who 
had attained the shore fell back in disorder, upon an approaching 
column, then in the middle of the river. The receding and ad- 
vancing columns mingled with each other, and being closely 
pressed by the volunteers, the whole l)ody was thrown into a 
state of confusion, from which the officers could not recover 
them ; numbers were killed in the stream, and the dead and 



BATTLE ON LAKE CHAM PLAIN. 



411 




wounded being swept along by the force of the current, sunk 
into one common i^rave. 

T was the result of the engagement 
^ between the two naval armaments, 
which continued upwards of two 
hours, in presence of the contend- 
S ing armies, which determined the 
M action upon land. Its effects were 
( sensibly felt by the British general, 
whose plans were completely frus- 
trated by its issue. After getting 
round Cumberland Head, Captain 
Downie anchored his fleet within three hundred yards of the 
line formed by Commodore McDonough, and placing the 
Confiance frigate in opposition to the Saratoga, the Linnet to 
the Eagle, Captain Henley, one of his sloops, and all his galleys, 
to the schooner Ticonderoga, Lieutenant-Commandant Cassin, 
and the sloop Preble, his other sloop alternately assisting the 
Saratoga and Eagle. The latter vessel was so situated, shortly 
after the commencement of the action, that the guns could not 
be brought to bear, and Captain Henley cut her cable, and placed 
her between the commodore's ship and the Ticonderoga, from 
which situation, though she exposed the Saratoga to a galling 
fire, she annoyed the enemy's squadron with much eflect. Some 
minutes after ten o'clock, nearly all the guns on the starboard 
side of the Saratoga being either dismounted or entirely un- 
manageable, Commodore McDonough was obliged to put out a 
stern anchor, and to cut the bower cable, by which means the 
Saratoga winded on the enemy's frigate with a fresh broadside, 
which being promptly delivered, the Confiance immediately after 
surrendered, with one hundred and five round shot in her hull, and 
her captain and forty-nine men killed, and sixty wounded. The 
Saratoga had fifty-five round shot in her hull, and had been twice 
set on fire by hot shot from the Confiance, but she sustained a loss 
of only twenty-eight in killed, and twenty-nine wounded, notwith- 
standing she mounted thirteen guns less than her antagonist. 
The Confiance had no sooner surrendered, than the Saratoga's 
broadside was sprung to bear on the brig, whose flag struck 



412 BRITISH FLEET CAPTURED. 

fiiteen minutes after. Captain Henley, in the Eagle, had already 
captured one of the enemy's sloops, and the Ticonderoga, after 
having sustained a galling fire, caused the surrender of tlie re- 
maining vessel. The principal vessels of the British fleet being 
now all captured, and three of their row galleys sunk, the re- 
maining ten escaped from the bay in a shattered condition. 

Among the officers killed on board the Saratoga, was the first 
lieutenant. Gamble, and on board the Ticonderoga, Lieutenant 
John Stansbury, son of General Tobias Stansbury, of Maryland, 
who was shot upon mounting the netting, to discover in what 
manner the guns of his division might be brought to bear more 
effectually upon one of the enemy's vessels. Among the wounded 
were Lieutenant Smith, acting Lieutenant Spencer, and Mid- 
shipman Baldwin. The total loss of Commodore McDonough's 
squadron amounted to fifty-two men killed, and fifty-eight 
wounded. The enemy's loss was eighty-four men killed, one 
hundred and ten wounded, and eight hundred and fifty-six pri- 
soners, who alone amounted to a greater number than those by 
whom they were taken. , 

The capture of his fleet being announced to Sir George Pre- 
vost, he immediately withdrew his forces from the assault of the 
American works. From his batteries, however, he kept up a 
constant fire until the dusk of the evening, when, being silenced 
by the guns of Fort Moreau, under Colonel M. Smith, and of 
Forts Brown and Scott, he retired within the town, and at nine 
at night sent off" his artillery, and all the baggage for w^hich he 
could obtain transport. About midnight he made a disgraceful 
and precipitate retreat, leaving l^ehind him all his sick and 
wounded, with a request that they might be generously treated 
by General Macomb. At daybrealv of the 12th, this movement 
being discovered by that officer, he immediately despatched his 
light troops, and the volunteers and militia, in pursuit. The 
enemy, however, had retired with such celerity, as to reach 
Chazy before the pursuit was commenced, and a violent storm 
prevented its continuance. Immense quantities of provisions, 
bomb shells, cannon balls, grape shot, ammunition, flints, in- 
trenching tools, tents, and marquees were taken, and upwards of 
four hundred deserters surrendered themselves in the course of 



RESULT OF THE BATTLES. 



413 




Commodore McDonough. 

the day. Besides these Sir George lost seventy-five prisoners, 
and as nearly as could be ascertained, about fifteen hundred 
killed and wounded, among them several officers of rank. The 
loss of the American army, which, with the accession of the 
volunteers and militia, did not exceed twenty-five hundred men, 
amounted to thirty-seven killed, sixty-two wounded, and twenty 
missing. 

For the gallantry which they displayed in this splendid en- 
gagement. General Macomb, Lieutenant-Colonel Applino-, Ma- 
jors Wool, of the '29th, and Totten, of the engineers, whose ser- 
vices were eminently conspicuous in the construction of the 
works, and Captain Brooks of the artillery, received the brevet 
rank of the grades next above those which they held on the day 
of the action. Captain Youngs, of the 15th, had been put on 
l3oard the squadron, with a detachment of infantr}^ to act as 
marines ; and for his coolness and intrepidity, in a species of 
service distinct from that to which he was attached, was also 
breveted. Captain Grosvenor, of the infantry, and the brigade 
major, Lieutenant Duncan, of tlie artillery, were conspicuous 

2m2 



414 SORTIE FROM FORT ERIE. 

for their zeal and activity throughout the engagement ; the latter 
was charged with the delivery of the despatches to the war de- 
partment. Promotions took place also in the navy, and Commodore 
McDonough was immediately elevated to the rank of post-captain. 

The investment of Fort Erie was all this time continued ; 
the troops of the garrison were actively engaged in the comple- 
tion of the bastions and of the abatis on the right flank ; and 
the beseigers employed in the erection of additional batteries 
intended to enfilade the western ramparts of the American works. 
General Brown had returned to the post, and resumed the com- 
mand of the army, v/hich had been in the mean time reinforced 
by new levies of militia. About the middle of September, after 
these arrangements were completed, an attempt to dislodge the 
enemy from his intrenched works, and to deprive him of the 
means of annoying the garrison, was determined on. A sortie 
was planned, and the morning of the 17th appointed for its exe- 
cution. Lieutenants Riddle and Frazer, of the 15th infantry, 
had already opened a road from the southern angle of the gar- 
rison to a point within pistol-shot of the enemy's right wing, and 
with such secrecy, that it was not discovered until the actual 
assault was commenced. About noon the regulars, infantry, and 
riflemen, and the volunteers and militia, were in readiness to 
march ; and before two o'clock the sortie was made. The divi- 
sion issuing from the left, was commanded by General Porter, 
and composed of two hundred riflemen and a few Indians, under 
Colonel Gibson, and two columns, the right comm.anded by Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Wood, and the left by Brigadier-General Davis, 
of the New York militia. These columns were conducted 
through the woods by Lieutenants Riddle and Frazer, and ap- 
proached upon the enemy's new battery, on his right, with such 
rapidity, as to surprise the brigade stationed at his line. His 
batteries, Nos. 3 and 4, were gallantly stormed, and after thirty 
minutes close action, both carried. Colonel Gibson and Lieute- 
nant-Colonel Wood, fell at the head of their columns, almost at 
the onset, and the respective commands devolved upon Lieute- 
nant-Colonel McDonald and Major Brooks. 

A block-house in the rear of liattery No. 3 was also carried, 
and its garrison made prisoners. Three twenty-four-pounders 



SORTIE FROM FORT ERIE. 415 

and their carriages were destroyed, and after the prisoners were 
secured, and the American columns moved beyond its influence, 
Lieutenant Riddle descended into the magazine, and, tirst taking 
out a quantity of fixed ammunition, set fire to a train leading 
to several barrels of powder. The explosion took place much 
sooner than the lieutenant expected, and not being able to escape 
in time, he was covered with the combustibles and fragments of 
the magazine, from which he was extricated with the utmost 
difficulty. At the moment of this explosion, the right division 
of the troops which had been stationed in the ravine between 
the fort and the enemy's works, under General Miller, with 
orders not to attack until General Porter had engaged the ene- 
my's right flank, first came up to the assaidt, and in co-operation 
with Colonel Gibson's column, pierced the British intrenchments 
between their batteries Nos. 2 and 3, and after a severe contest, 
carried the former. In this assault, Brigadier-General Davis, of 
the New York militia, fell at the head of his corps. 

The enemy's second block-house, his batteries 2 and 3, and 
his unfinished battery No. 4, with the intervening breastworks 
and intrenchments, being now all in the possession of the Ame- 
ricans, General Miller's division inclined towards the river with 
a view to assail his battery No. 1, erected at the extremity of his 
left flank. At this point the enemy made a much bolder and 
more obstinate resistance. There his defenses were constructed 
with the most studied intricacy ; breastworks had been thrown 
up connecting his first and second battery ; successive lines of 
intrenchments intersected each other for nearly a hundred yards 
in their rear ; and rows of abatis and timber planted in multi- 
plied involutions, formed impediments to the approach of the 
assailants, produced some confusion in the column, and made 
constant appeals to the bayonet necessary. 

Before General Miller attempted this movement upon the bat- 
tery near the water, General Brown had ordered up General 
Ripley with the reserve, comprised of the 21st regiment, under 
Lieutenant-Colonel Upham, and desired him, as the senior officer 
in advance, to ascertain the general situation of the troops, and 
to withdraw them from the enemy's works, as soon as tlie object 
of the sortie, the destruction of his batteries, was eifected. The 



416 GENERAL RIPLEY WOUNDED. 

reserve, in obedience to this order, promptly advanced to the 
support of Miller's column, and came into the engagement as 
the enemy's force was strengthened from his encampment. This 
column Avas compose4 of the 9tli, the 11th, and part of the 19th 
infantry; the first being commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel 
Aspinwall, who lost his left arm in the assault ; and the last, by 
Major Trimble, who was dangerousl}^ shot through the body. 
Under the immediate direction of the same gallant leader, who 
had carried the cannon upon the eminence at Lundy's lane, and 
aided by Lieutenant-Colonel Upham, with the 21st and part of 
the 17th, it made a rapid charge upon, and stormed the remain- 
ing battery, which was instantly abandoned by the British in- 
fantry and artillery. 

General Ripley then ordered a line to be formed in front, for 
the protection of the detachments engaged in spiking the ene- 
my's guns, and demolishing the captured works. This line he 
determined also to strengthen, in order to annoy the rear of 
General Drummond's retreating forces, and was in the act of 
forwarding these arrangements, when he received a dangerous 
wound in the neck, and fell by the side of Major Brook, of the 
23d, whose command w^as at that moment engaged with a de- 
tachment on the enemy's right. His aid, Lieutenant Kirby, 
caused him to be removed to the garrison, and General Miller 
having ordered the right wing to fall back, the troops upon the 
left were shortly after recalled, and the operations ceased with 
the accomplishment of all the objects of the sortie. 

The troops then returned to the garrison with their prisoners, 
and many trophies of their valour ; and, on the third day after, 
Lieutenant-General Drummond, who had been joined before the 
sortie by Major-Generals De Watteville and Stovin, broke up 
his encamjnnent, raised the siege, and hastily retired upon Fort 
George ! In addition to the loss of nearly all his cannon, his 
force was again reduced at least one thousand men; and, not- 
withstanding the results of forty-seven days incessant labour 
were destroyed, and eleven of his officers, and three hundred 
and seventy-four of his non-commissioned officers and privates 
made prisoners, and transferred to the American shore, he called 
the event a repulse of an American army of five thousand men, 



GENERAL BROWN SUPERSEDED. 



417 




General Brown. 



by an inconsiderable number of British troops. Including the 
names already mentioned, General Brown's army lost ten officers 
and seventy men killed ; twenty-four officers and one hundred 
and ninety men wounded ; and ten officers and two hundred and 
six men missing — in all five hundred and ten. 

Not long after the enemy had been thus compelled to raise 
the siege of Fort Erie, the garrison was enlarged by the arrival 
of the right division, under Major-General Izard, who superseded 
General Brown in the command of the army. The accession 
of this division, and the strength of the defenses, which were all 
by tliis time entire, and some of them garnished with heavy 
cannon, rendered Fort Erie impregnable to the attacks of any 
other than a vastly superior force ; and the month intervening 
between the 17th of September and the 18th of October, was 
constantly employed in drilling, and harmonizing the discipline 
of the two wings of the army. In the neighbourhood of Cook's 
Mills at Lyon's creek, a branch of the Chippewa, it was under- 

53 



418 EXPEDITION TO COOKS MILLS. 



stood that quantities of provision were desposited for the use of 
the British troops, and General Izard directed General Bissell, 
commanding the 2d brigade of the 1st division, to march thither 
and seize them. On the 18tli he proceeded on the expedition, 
and after driving in a picket guard, and capturing its command- 
ino- officer, he tlirew two light companies, under Captain Dor- 
man, of the 5th, and Lieutenant Horrell, of the 16th infantry, 
and a company of riflemen, under Captain Irvine, across Lyon's 
creek, and encamped for the niglit, with picket guards stationed 
at proper distances. One of these commanded by Lieutenant 
Gassaway, and stationed on the Chippewa road, was attacked 
by two companies of the Glengary light infantry, which were 
beaten off with loss. 

On the following morning the lirigade was attacked by a force 
of twelve hundred men, under Colonel the Marquis of Tweedale. 
Captain Dorman's infantry, and Irvine's riflemen, received the 
first fire of the enemy, and sustained it with the greatest gal- 
lantry, wliilst General Bissell was forming and bringing up the 
other troops to their support. Colonel Pinckney, with the 5th 
regiment, was ordered to turn the enemy's right flank, and to 
cut off a piece of artillery which he had just then brought into 
action, whilst Major Barnard, with the 14th, was to charge them 
in front. These movements were instantly effected. The ene- 
my's left flank and his centre sunk under the fire of coiys cF elite, 
and the riflemen, and the charge of the 14th ; and his right flank 
was turned immediately after by the rapid and forcible move- 
ment of the 5th. The recoil of his line, and the approach of the 
American reserve, composed of the 15th, under Major Grindage, 
and the 16th, under Colonel Pearce, to enforce the success of 
the main l^ody, was no sooner perceived l^y the marquis, than 
he ordered his troops to retire from the ground on which they 
had engaged General Bissell ; and, expecting to draw that officer 
after him, fell back to his fortifications at the mouth of the river. 
As his retreat was made without much regard to order, all his 
killed, and most of his wounded, were left behind. He was pur- 
sued but a small distance, when General Bissell, ia conformity 
to his instructions, destroyed the provisions at the mills, and 
returncfl to his position at Black creek, having effected the 



DESTRUCTION OF FORT ERIE. 



419 



object of his expedition, with the loss of sixty-seven killed, 
wounded, and missing-. 

The whole army, with the exception of Lieutenant-Colonel 
Hindman's artillery, to whom the command of Fort Erie, and 
the works was intrusted, was now operating in the vicinity of 
Black creek and Chippewa. Its staff had been reduced by the 
removal of General Kipley to the American shore after being 
wounded, and the transfer of General Brown to Sackett's Har- 
bour, and of General Miller to Boston. Immediately after the 
repulse of the Marquis of Tweedale, General Izard directed its 
return to the garrison, whence, as the weather was about this 
time setting in extremely cold, and the season having arrived 
when hostihties usually ceased, it was determined to transport it 
to the American shore, to supply the troops wdth more comfort- 
able winter quarters. The fort was accordingly destroyed, and 
all the batteries demolished, and after a vigorous and brilliant 
campaign of four months, the Canadian territory was evacuated, 
and the army distributed in quarters at Buffalo, Black Rock, 
and Batavia. The volunteers and militia were discharged with 
the thanks of the government, and General Porter received 
various testimonies of approbation and applause from the state 
to which he belonged, for his constant display of bravery, and the 
liigh degree of discipUne which he maintained in his command. 

HILST these events were 
transpiring between the Ame- 
rican arm}', and the armies 
of Lieutenant-General Drum- 
mond and Sir George Pre- 
=. vest, an expedition had been 
fitted out in the north-western 
country, under the united 
command of Commodore Sinclair, with the fleet upon Lake 
Erie, and Lieutenant-Colonel Croghan, with a detachment of ar- 
tillery and infantry, to act against the fort and island of Michili- 
mackinac. But the expedition failed, notwithstanding the skill 
and gallantry of the officers engaged in it ; and the troops retired 
from the island, after having effected a landing, with the loss 
of the second officer. Major Holmes of the 32d infantry. The 




420 EXPEDITION IN THE NORTH-WEST. 

enemy, apprized of the movement, appeared in large numbers to 
resist it, and being protected by breastworks, and aided by a 
body of Indians, exceeding the strength of Colonel Croghan's de- 
tachment, that intrepid yonng officer was compelled to withdraw 
his forces, and return to the shipping. On his way to the island, 
however, he destroyed the Fort St. Joseph's, and the enemy's 
establishment at Sault St. Mary's. The loss of the detachment in 
the expedition amounted to sixty-six killed, wounded, and missing. 

After leaving the island. Commodore Sinclair stationed two 
of his schooners, the Tigress and Scorpion, near St. Joseph's, 
to cut off all supplies for the British garrison at Michilimackinac. 
Lieutenant-Colonel McDowell, the commandant of that garrison, 
supplied Lieutenant Worsley, of the navy, with two hundred 
and fifty Indians, and a detachment of the Newfoundland re- 
giment, with whom, and one hundred and fifty sailors, he at- 
tacked the schooners on the 9th of September. After a severe 
struggle, in which he lost a very disproportionate number of 
killed and wounded, he carried the vessels, and proceeded with 
them to Michilimackinac. 

On the 22d of the following month, Brigadier-General 
McArthur, having collected seven hundred and twenty effective 
regulars and militia, proceeded on a secret expedition along the 
western shore of Lake St. Clair, and passed into the Canadian 
territory, at the mouth of that water. He penetrated two hun- 
dred miles in the enemy's country, destroyed more than that 
number of muskets, attacked a large body of militia and Indians, 
encamped on favourable ground, made about one hundred and 
fifty prisoners, and dispersed all the detachments to be found at 
the Thames, Oxford, or Grand river. During the march he 
principally subsisted on the enemy, and fired several of the 
mills, from which the British troops in Upper Canada were 
supplied with food. Having gained intelligence of the evacuation 
of Fort Erie, he abandoned his intention of proceeding to Bur- 
lington Heights, and returned to Detroit on the 17th of November. 
By this rapid expedition, the enemy's hostile intentions were 
diverted from another quarter, and his means of attacking De- 
troit entirely crippled ; the destruction of his suplies rendering 
such an attempt altogether impracticable. 



THE CREEK WAR. 



421 




General Jackson. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



®^e €ts$l Hilar, 



'N the long period wliicli elapsed be- 
tween the Revolution and the war of 
1812, British agents were actively 
engaged in fomenting disturbances 
between the soutliern and western 
Indians, and the United States. Their 
most indefatigable allj was Teciimseh. 
He passed from station to station, 
harangued all the tribes on our borders, 
enumerated the wrongs they had sustained from the whites, and 
painted, in glowing colours, the advantages to l^e derived from an 
alliance with Great Britain. Most of the north-western Indians 
entered into his views and purposes, but in the south his intrigues 
were attended with but very partial success. The Choctaws, 
Cherokees, and Chickasaws, remained friendly to our country 

2N 




422 EXPEDITION AGAINST THE SE MINGLES. 

throughout the war ; and only a few of the most abandoned and 
vicious of the Creeks could he induced, at an early period, to take 
up the toinaliawk against us. 

In the Spring of 1812, a party of five Creeks massacred two 
families on the frontier settlements of the Tennessee river, and 
made their escape. Some other enormities were committed 
ahout the same time, and the hostility of the Indians soon became 
so decided, that the legislature of Tennessee passed an act for 
the organization of a large body of volunteers and militia. Hos- 
tilities, however, did not at that time ensue. The Creeks held 
a convention, in which they resolved to punish those who had 
committed aggressions, and declared their desire to remain 
friendly to the United States. Several of the murderers were 
executed, and addresses of the most pacific kind tei^dered to 
Colonel Hawkins, United States ambassador to their nation. 

About this time an expedition was commenced by Colonel 
Newman of Georgia, against the Seminole Indians, who were not 
considered by the Creeks as part of their nation. The enter- 
prise was successful, the enemy being defeated in several skir- 
mishes, with the loss of nearly fifty w^arriors. 

Thesmallness of the party engaged in this expedition, unfitted 
it for doing any thing decisive; and in autumn another was 
fitted out, consisting of fifteen hundred militia infantry, and six 
hundred moiuited volunteers. They marched from West Ten- 
nessee, for the defense of the lower country, the foot troops de- 
scending the river in boats, under the command of Major-Gene- 
ral 'Andrew Jackson, whilst the mounted men, under Colonel 
Coffee, marched by laud to Natchez, where both parties arrived 
and formed a junction in February, 1813. In the following 
month they were ordered home, and the whole expedition proved 
a failure. 

Meanwhile anotlier detachment of Tennessee volunteers, 
under Colonel Williams, marched to^^-ards the frontiers of 
Georgia. After reaching the St. Mary's river, and receiving a 
reinforcement under Colonel Smitli, they commenced an expe- 
dition against the Seminoles. Three battles were fought, in 
which the Indians were defeated witli the loss of thirty-eight 
warriors killed, and a still larger numlx-r in wounded and pri- 



INFLUENCE OF TECUM SEH. 423 



soners. Their houses were burnt, all their corn detroyed, and 
about four hundred horses, with an equal quantity of cattle, 
carried away. Tlie detachment remained in the country, until 
they had destroyed all property, [ind utterly exterminated the 
Indians. 

The intrigues of Tecumseh and his brother, the prophet, still 
continued among the Creeks, and had a powerful effect with 
their younger warriors. But those chiefs who had been the most 
active in procuring the punishment of the renegadoes in 1812, 
were at the head of the party which was for peace in the nation, 
and friendship with the United States. In conjunction with these 
chiefs, Colonel Hawkins made strenuous but vain efforts to pre- 
serve peace. The greater part of their tribes had accepted the 
offers of Great Britain, their passions were roused against the 
Americans, and nothing but war could now satiate them. Dis- 
sensions ensued among the Creeks themselves, until the friendly 
party, which was much the weakest, implored the Americans to 
protect them, and subdue their opponents. 

Before the Americans had time to respond to these calls, the 
storm burst upon the southern settlements. About the 20th of 
August, 1813, some Choctaw Indians reported that three parties 
of Creeks were about making an attack on Fort Mimms, in the 
Tensaw settlement, on the east side of the Alabama, opposite Fort 
Stoddart, on the forts situated on the forks between the Tom- 
bigbee and Alabama, and on those situated more immediately on 
the Tombigbee. Fort Mimms, the principal object of attack, 
contained about four hundred people, including one hundred 
and thirty militia, together with a large amount of supplies and 
property. Unfortunately the hostilities of the Creeks had been 
so long anticipated, that the intelligence brought by the friendly 
Indians was disregarded, and by some disbelieved. With a 
negligence and culpability rarely equalled in the annals of border 
difficidties, the commandant remained entirely indifferent to 
repeated warnings, and subsequently brought destruction u])on 
himself and the garrison. 

On the morning of the attack, a large party of the enemy had 
approached through an open field, to within thirty jiaces oi the 
gate, before they were discovered. A sentinel then ga^e the 



424 MASSACRE AT FORT MIMMS. 



alarm, but before the gate, which was wide open, could be 
closed, the Indians raised the war-whoop, and rushed through. 
Major Bearsley was immediately shot through the .body. The 
fort was defended by a double breastwork, so that, although the 
Indians had entered the gate, they still found another wall before 
them. This protracted the conflict for several hours. The 
savages fired from their positions upon the inner fort, whilst tlie 
garrison Ivcpt the port-holes, and maintained a fierce conflict 
with the Indians. At last the enemy succeeded in firing a 
block-house, which stood near the pickets, and from that the 
flames were communicated to the other buildings. Despair now 
seized the stoutest hearts ; destruction by fire or the tomahawk 
was inevitable ; and the screams of women, the agonizing cry of 
men, the crackling and tossing of flames, and the yells of In- 
dians, were terrible. As their only chance of life, the garrison 
banded together, and rushed through the ranks of the enemy. 
Man after man fell beneath the tomahawk until but about 
twenty escaped. Then the savages, lilve an army of demons, 
poured over the walls upon the weak and helpless. Children 
were dashed against the ground, and women scalped and mur- 
dered. The remainder took refuge in the principal dwelling- 
house. This was fired, and the dying wail of the mother and 
infant, the friend and relation, rose up with the roarings of tlie 
conflagration. Little by little, that awful sound grew weaker, 
then all was still. Three hundred and fifty persons had been 
hurried into eternity in a few hours, while their mangled bodies 
were strewed around, still throbbing with the remnants of life, 
or blackened and crusted by fire. 

Meanwhile preparations for marching into the Creek country 
were actively proceeding in Georgia and Tennessee. About 
the middle of September, more than three thousand militia, 
under General Floyd, entered the Creek country from the former 
state ; and soon after a still larger army arrived from Tennessee, 
in two divisions, one commanded by Major-General John Cocke, 
the other by General Jackson. The legislature of Tennessee 
also passed a law authorizing the governor to detach a corps of 
thirty-five hundred men to the scene of action ; and under the 
authority of the Mississippi territory, fifteen hundred men under 



JACKSON ENCAMPS AT TEN ISLANDS. 425 




The Prophet, (Brother of Tecumseh.) 

Brig-adier-Geiieral Flourney were collected at Fort Stoddart. 
The Choctaw Indians also declared war against the Creeks, and 
tendered their services to co-operate with the Americans in the 
ensuing campaign. 

Early in November, General Jackson had arrived, and en- 
camped with his army at a place called the Ten Islands, on the 
Coosa river. From this place he despatched General Coffee 
with nine hundred men to destroy the Tallushatchee towns, about 
eight miles distant, where he had been informed that there was 
a body of hostile Creeks. On the 3d, the general arrived within 
two miles of the principal town, where he divided his command 
into two columns, the cavalry on the right, under Colonel All- 
corn, and Colonel Cannon with his mounted riflemen on the left. 
The former were ordered to cross a creek in their front, and 
marching upon the right of the town, encircle it on that side ; 
while the latter were to perform a similar movement on the left, 
until the two columns joined from opposite sides of the town, 
which would thus be completely inclosed. This plan was cor- 
rectly executed, and the troops succeeded in gaining their posi- 
tions without suffering any loss. Captain Hammond was then 
sent toward the town to draw the Indians if possible from their 



2n2 



54 



426 JACKSON MARCHES TO TALLADEGA. 



shelter. Tliis stratagem had the desired effect. As soon as the 
captain had shown his detachment, and given the' savages a dis- 
tant fire, they rushed out against him in a furious manner. He 
then gradually retreated, drawing the enemy after him until they 
came within range of the right column, when they were charged 
and driven hack. For the first time, the Indians now perceived 
the trap wliicli had been laid for them, — that they Avere com- 
pletely surrounded wath overpowering numbers, and cut off from 
all possibility of retreat. " They made all the resistance," says 
General Coffee, "that an overpowered soldier could do, — they 
fought as long as one existed — but their destruction w-as very 
soon completed. Our men rushed up to the doors of their houses 
and in a few minutes killed the last warrior. The Indians met 
death with all its horrors, without shrinking — not one asked to 
be spared, but fought as long as they eould stand or sit. In 
consequence of their flying to their houses, and mixing with 
their families, our men in killing the males, without intention 
killed and wounded a few^ of the squaws and children, which 
w^as regretted by every officer and soldier of the detachment, 
but which could not be avoided." 

The Indian force in this battle, amounting to about tw^o hun- 
dred, were utterly annihilated — not one escaping' to report the 
news of so signal a defeat. About eighty-four squawks and 
children were taken prisoners, many of them w^ounded. The 
Americans lost five killed, and forty-one w^ounded. 

On the 7th of November, a friendly Indian informed General 
Jackson, that a large number of hostile Creeks were encamped 
near Talladega, which w^as hourly waiting an attack. This 
place w^as thirty miles from the general's position, and yet he 
set out that night, and arrived before the following morning 
within six miles of the fort. At sunrise he was within half a 
mile of the enemy's encampment, and proceeded to form the 
order of battle. The infantry were disposed in three lines, hav- 
ing the militia on the left and the volunteers on the right. The 
cavalry, forming the extreme wings, were thrown forw^ard in a 
curve, with instructions to keep the rear of their columns con- 
nected with the flanks of their infantry, so as to encircle and 
destroy the wdiole force of the enemy. 



BATTLE OF TALLADEGA. 427 




IN this order the main body advanced slowly to- 
& ward the Indians, while the advance pushed for- 
- - ward and engaged them. Believing the attack- 
ing force to be the entire army, the savages 
charged them with fury, and continued a pursuit, 
until they were drawai witliin range of the ad- 
vancing force. At this time, a few companies 
of militia were struck with fear, and commenced 
a disorderly retreat. The action then com- 
menced along the whole line, and for some time was maintained 
wdth great spirit. But the disproportion of force was too great, 
, and the fire of the Americans too heavy, to afford the Indians 
any chance of success. They were compelled to retreat, and 
w^ere chased with great animation for more than three miles. 
After the action, two hundred and ninety dead Indians were 
found upon the ground, and many more had been carried away 
by the survivors. Jackson's loss was fifteen killed, and about 
the same number wounded. 

Three days after this affair, November 11th, General Cocke 
despatched Brigadier-General White with a considerable force, 
against the Hillabee settlements. He w\as obliged to march one 
hundred miles through a very rough country, part of which 
liad till recently been in full possession of the enemy. On the 
route he biu'ned two of their towns, and captured a third. Having 
arrived within six miles of the Hillabee towns, November 17th, 
where the Indians were stationed, he halted, arranged his order 
of battle, and despatched a body of troops with instructions to 
surround the town before day, and attack it at early dawn. The 
darkness of the night prevented their arrival before daylight, yet 
so completely were the Creeks surprised, that every warrior was 
killed or captured, without having time to offer the least resist- 
ance. About sixty were killed, and two hundred and fifty men, 
women, and children captured. General White arrived with the 
mounted reserve in time to have decided or improved the vic- 
tory, had the resistance or flight of the enemy rendered his co- 
operation necessary. 

About ten days after this battle a fourth victory was obtained 
over the Creeks by the Georgia troops, under General Floyd. 



428 



BATTLE OF AUTOSSEE. 



This officer marched against the town of Autossee, on the Talla- 
poosa, with about nine hundred and fifty militia, and four hun- 
dred friendly Indians. His plan was completely to surround the 
town, cut off all retreat from the river, and thus compel the gar- 
rison to surrender. The difficulty of crossing the Tallapoosa 
disconcerted part of this plan, and it was soon ascertained that 
beside the fort, which formed the original object of attack, the 
Indians possessed another, about five hundred yards down the 
river. Part of the troops were detached against this lower town, 
while the friendly Indians were sent over the creek to prevent 
a retreat up the river. A vigorous attack then commenced 
against the upper town, and a contest ensued which was cha- 
racterized by that fierce obstinacy ever shown by the red man 
when fighting an enemy from a sheltered position. By nine 
o'clock, however, both forts were carried, the enemy driven from 
them in all directions, and the buildings set on fire. 

I HE loss of the enemy in this action, 
though never correctly ascertained, 
was believed to have reached two 
hundred. The Americans had eleven 
killed, and fifty-four wounded, among 
the latter General Floyd severely, 
and his adjutant-general, Newman, 
slightly. 
As there were many other populous 
towns in this vicinity, which could send into the field a large 
number of warriors. General Floyd considered it inexpedient to 
pursue his victory, and accordingly retired to his former posi- 
tion on the Chatahoochee. 

In December, General Claiborne, with a force of regulars, 
militia, volunteers, and Choctaw Indians, marched up the Ala- 
bama river, to a new fort constructed by Weatherford, who had 
led the massacre at Fort Mimms. Apprized of his approach, 
the enemy secreted their squaws and children on the opposite 
side of the river, and prepared for battle. As the Americans 
advanced, they were attacked on the left column, composed of 
volunteers, but after a spirited struggle, succeeded in driving off 
their assailants, wdio fled through thick swamps toward the river. 




BATTLE OF EMUCKFAU. 



429 



The army then entered the town, stripped it of every thing 
valuable, and set the houses on fire. Thirty dead Indians were 
found on the field; the Americans lost one killed and six 
wounded. 

About a month after this battle, January 27th, 1814, a large 
party of warriors attacked General Floyd at his encampment, 
near tlie Chatahoochee. The Indians assaulted the camp with 
so much fury, that in a few minutes they were within thirty 
paces of the artillery. But after the battle had become general, 
their efforts grew desultory and ineffectual. The artillery and 
rifle companies played upon them with great effect, and at day- 
light a charge with the bayonet drove them back in utter con- 
fusion. General Floyd lost seventeen killed, and one hundred 
and thirty two wounded ; the Indians left thirty-seven bodies 
upon the field, and a large number of their wounded escaped. 

On the 17th of January, General Jackson broke up his camp 
near Ten Islands, and, with a force of nearly twelve hundred 
men, marched toward the Creek country. Next day he received 
a reinforcement of three hundred Indians, and on the 21st, was 
near the junction of the Tallapoosa and Emuckfau creek, where 
about nine hundred of the enemy were concentrated. Here he 
formed his army into a hollow square, and spent the night in re- 
connoitering the Indian position. 

UST at six o'clock on the following 
morning, the savages commenced a 
vigorous attack on the American left 
flank, and maintained the assault un- 
til daylight. They were charged by 
General Coffee and Colonels Carroll 
and Higgins, completely routed at 
every point, and chased about two 
miles, with great slaughter. General 
Coffee was then detached to destroy their encampment; but 
while preparing to do so, the right and left of the army were 
ao^ain assaulted, and the battle recommenced. A vio-orous 
charge, conducted by Colonels Carroll and Higgins, repulsed the 
Indians with loss, and confirmed the victory. 

Instead of pursuing his victory by continuing his march into 




430 JACKSON REINFORCED. 

the Indian country, General Jackson set out on the following 
day for his former camp. In crossing the Enotichopco creek, 
an alarm gun gave notice of danger, and soon after an attack 
beo-an from a party of concealed Indians. Colonel Carroll was 
at the head of the centre column of the rear guard, its right 
column was commanded by Colonel Perkins, and its left by 
Colonel Stump. Having selected the ground on which he was 
attacked, Jackson determined to cross the creek above and 
below with his flank columns, fall upon tlie side and rear of the 
enemy, and cut them to pieces. This plan was disconcerted by 
the American rear guard, who, when fired upon, fled precipi- 
tately into the centre of the army, carrying consternation and 
confusion into the flank columns, and leaving but twenty-five 
men with Colonel Carroll, to arrest the progress of the pursuers. 
Although this ill-timed retreat threw the main army into con- 
fusion, yet Colonel Carroll with his handful of men, maintained 
his post as long as it was possible to resist overwdielming 
numbers ; and being then joined by Lieutenant Armstrong with 
the artillery, and Captain Russell, he still continued the contest 
with success. The artillery was then opened upon the enemy, 
followed by a vigorous charge, which broke their line, and drove 
them from the field in confusion. The general then pursued his 
way without further molestation. The loss of the Americans 
during the wdiole expedition was twenty-four killed and seventy- 
one w^ounded. 

Soon after this battle. General Jackson received a reinforce- 
ment of two militia brigades, under Generals Dougherty and 
Johnson, a regiment of regulars, under Colonel Williams, and 
several smaller corps. This accession to his force enabled 
General Jackson to recommence effective operations, and ac- 
cordingly on the 27th of March, we find him at the Horseshoe 
bend of the Tallapoosa. Here the Indians w^re intrenched in 
large numbers. The situation is remarkably strong by nature, 
and the Creeks had fortified it with a degree of skill and effi- 
ciency rarely evinced by the untutored red man. Across the 
neck of the bend, Avhere it opens toward the north, they had 
erected a breastwork of logs from five to eight feet high, possess- 
ing great compactness and strength, and extending on both 



y 



BATTLE AT HORSESHOE BEND. ^ 431 

sides to the river. Through this were cut two ranges of port- 
holes, suitable for the exercise of small arms. The direction of 
the wall was such that an army could not approach it without 
being exposed to a cross fire from the enemy lying in safety 
behind it. The inclosure contained about eighty acres of 
ground, and in the furthest extremity of the bend was a village 
of moderate size. From the breastwork on the neck a ridge of 
high land extended about half way to the village, the summit of 
which was comparatively open ground ; but on its sides, and on 
the flat ground along the margin of the river, there had been a 
heavy forest, the large trees of which were now filled in such a 
manner, that every one formed a breastwork from ^\■hich the 
Indians could in safety assail our troops while crossing the 
river. Within this fortification, the enemy had collected all their 
warriors from six towns on the Tallapoosa, numbering in all 
about one thousand. Among them were several of the greatest 
prophets and chiefs in the nation, and the principal instigators 
of the war. 

E LYING on the strength of their posi- 
tion, their large force, and the prophetic 
assurance of success which their fanatic 
leaders had given them, they entertained 
no doubt of repulsing our army with the 
utmost ease. On the other hand, the 
strength of General Jackson's army, and 
the spirit which animated his men, in- 
spired him w^ith confidence, that he 
would be able to give them a signal defeat. 

The attack upon the breastwork commenced aljout ten 
o'clock, A. M., by General Coffee, while at the same time a party 
were detached against the village within the bend. The battle 
raged for two hours, without much execution on either side, 
when General Jackson determined to storm the fortification. 
Led on by Colonel Williams and Major Montgomery, the 
regular troops were soon in possession of the outside of the 
breastwork, when they were joined by the militia. For a lew 
minutes an obstinate struggle was maintained at the port-holes, 
after which our troops mounted over the breastwork and took 




422 SUBMISSION OF THE CREEKS. 




Wcatherford. 



possession of the opposite works. This decided tlie contest. 
A dreadful slaughter of the enemy ensued in every direction. 
Each warrior defended himself with that bravery which despera- 
tion inspires; but overpowered by numbers, and surrounded on 
every side, they sunk down rapidly beneath the superior dis- 
cipline of their opponents. Of those who attempted to cross the 
river, "not one escaped; very few ever reached the bank, and 
those few were killed the instant they landed." 

On that disastrous day, less than one hundred of the enemy 
were able to effect their escape. Five hundred and fifty-seven 
dead bodies were counted, and at least two hundred and fifty 
were thrown into the river during the action. Three hundred 
women and children, with a few warriors were taken prisoners. 
The total loss of the Americans was forty-nine killed, and one 
hundred and fifty-four wounded. Among the former was Major 
Montgomery, an able and gallant officer, whose death was much 
lamented. 

This battle effectually subdued the hostile Creeks, and con- 
vinced them of the utter futility of a further coijtinuation of the 
war. Weatherford, and several other chiefs, delivered them- 
selves to General Jackson, supplicating peace on any terms 
which the United States might please to grant. The general 
retired to the Coosa river, and was soon after permitted to 



TREATY OF TEACE WITH THE CREEKS. 433 



rotuni home with his troops, leaving small garrisons on the 
river forts. 

During the time while these operations were going on, some 
companies of Carolina militia, under General Pinokney, had 
entered the Creek country, to support the United States envoy, 
Mr. Hawkins, wdiile negotiating for peace. The terms oifered to 
the Indians were, that our government should retain as much 
of the conquered territoi-y as would he a just indemnity for the 
expenses of the war, and for the injuries and losses sustained by 
our citizens and the friendly Creeks ; that it w^ould reserve the 
right of establishing such military posts, trading-houses, and 
roads in their country, as might be deemed necessary, together 
with the right of navigating all their w^aters ; and that on their 
part they must surrender their prophets and other instigators of 
the war, and submit to such restrictions on their trade with foreign 
nations as our c;"overnment misfht dictate. 

Thus within seven months after the massacre at Fort Mimms, 
which may be considered as the commencement of the Creek 
war, the Indians were completely subdued, and their power 
broken for ever. 




2 O 55 



434 



COMMODORE BARNEY. 




Bladenshurg. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

HE movements of the British 
blockading squadrons, on the 
eastern coast, during the 
summer of 1814, have al- 
ready been traced to the oc- 
cupation of Eastport and 
Castine, in the beginning of 
September. In their opera- 
tions along the shores of the 
Chesapeake bay, and the 
southern coast, they have not been followed beyond their attack 
upon Hampton and Ocracock, in the month of June. At that 
period, a flotilla, consisting of a cutter, two gun-boats, a galley, 
and nine large barges, sailed from Baltimore, under Commodore 
Barney, for the protection of the inlets and harbours in the several 
parts of the bay. On the 1st of June, being at the mouth of the 
Patuxent, the commodore discovered two schooners, one of which 
carried eighteen guns, and immediately gave chase. The 




EXPLOITS OF BARNEY. 435 

schooners were joined, however, by a large ship, which despatched 
numbers of barges to their assistance, and the commodore in 
danger of being cut off from the Potomac, signaled his flotilla 
to sail up the Patuxent. In that river, he engaged the schooners 
and the barges, and after beating them off with hot shot, he an- 
chored within three miles of a seventy-four, stationed at its 
mouth. In the course of a few days the enemy was reinforced 
by a razee and a sloop of war, and joining the barges of these 
vessels to those with which they had already engaged Commo- 
dore Barney, they followed his flotilla into St. Leonard's creek, 
two miles above the mouth of which his gun-boats and barges 
were formed in line of Ijaltle, across the channel. From this 
point the commodore engaged them, and seeing a disposition to 
fall back, he immediately bore down, put them to flight, and 
pursued them to within a short distance of their shipping, ^\-hich 
consisted of a ship, a l^rig, and two schooners. In the afternoon 
of the 10th, the enemy made another attempt upon the flotilla, 
with twenty barges, and the two schooners. The commodore 
immediately moved upon them, and after a smart fire, drove 
the liargcs down to the eighteen gun vessel, which in attempting 
to beat out, was so severely handled that her crew ran her 
aground and abandoned her. 

These attempts upon the flotilla were coiistantlv repeated, 
and its blockade in St. Leonard's continued until the '26th, on 
the morning of which day, a combined attack of a corps of artil- 
lery, which had been despatched from AVashington to its assist- 
ance, a detachment of the marine corps, and the flotilla itself, 
was made upon the whole squndron, among which were two 
frigates. Tlic action continued upwards of two hours, and ter- 
minated in driving the enemy from his anchorage. His ships 
stood down the river, and Commodore Barney finding the block- 
ade raised, sailed out of St. Leonard's, and proceeded up the 
Patuxent. 

The British squadron at the different stations in the Chesa- 
peake, were now every day augmented, by arrivals of transports 
and ships of the line from England. The cessation of liostih- 
ties, which had taken place in Europe, enabled the British 
government to send out powerful reinforcements to their fleets 



436 



BARNEY DESTROYS HIS FLOTILLA. 



and armies already on the coast, and Admiral Sir Alexander 
Cochrane had heen despatched with upwards of thirty sail, 
having on l)oard an army of several thousand men, under Major- 
General Ross. This force pntered the Chesapeake in the course 
of the summer, and between the land and naval commanders, a 
plan of attack upon Washington, Alexandria, and Baltimore, was 
soon after adopted. A few weeks before the repulse of Sir 
George Prevost at Plattsburg, Admiral Cochrane notified the 
secretary of state, of his having been called upon by the gover- 
nor-general, to lay waste and destroy all such towns and districts 
upon the coast as might be found assailable, and that he had in 
consequence issued his orders to that effect to all the naval com- 
manders upon the station. 

F this despatch was forwarded 
with the honourable intent of ap- 
prizing the American government 
of the contemplated attack upon 
the capital, the object was either 
wilfully, or through negligence, 
defeated. For previously to the 
receipt of tliis notice at the de- 
partment of state, the enemy 
was already ascending, in two 
divisions of his fleet, the Patuxent and the Potomac. In the 
first of tliese rivers, his force amounted to twenty-seven square 
rigged vessels, all of which proceeded to Benedict, the head of 
frigate navigation, and landed about six thousand regulars, sea- 
men, and marines. 

Commodore Barney, in obedience to the orders which he had 
received to that effect, blew up and abandoned his flotilla upon 
the approach of so pow^erful a force, and retreated to Notting- 
ham, on the 22d of August, where, with his seamen and marines, 
he joined the United States army, under Brigadier-General 
Winder. The enemy approached the Wood Yard, a position 
twelve miles only from the city, and at which General Winder's 
forces w^ere drawn up. These consisted of about five thousand 
men, two thousand five hundred of whom were from Baltimore, 
and offered battle to the British troops. But General Ross, upon 




BATTLE OF BLADEN S BURG. ' 437 



reaching the neio;hbourhood of Nottinoham, turned to his rio-ht 
and took the road to ]\Iarll)oroiigh, npon which General Winder 
fell back to Battalion Old Fields, about eight miles from the 
city. 

The positions now occupied by the two armies were distant 
from each other about seven miles ; and General Winder desir- 
ing to know in Mliat manner they had encamped, rode with 
a small escort to JMarHjorough, and learned, from several 
prisoners who were taken, that the British general intended to 
remain there until the following day. About noon of the 23d, 
General Ross put his troops in motion, having been previously 
joined by Admiral Cockl)urn, and was met by the American 
advanced corps, under Lieutenant-Colonel Scott and Major Peter, 
who, after exchanging several rounds, fell back upon the main 
army. Early on the 24th, the enemy's column resumed its 
march, and reached Bladensburg, about six miles from Wash- 
ington, without loss. At Bladensburg, General Stansbury had 
taken an advantageous position, and by the greatest exertion 
General Winder was enabled to interpose his whole force before 
the enemy, including Commodore Barney's flotilla men and 
marines. 

At one, p. u., the action commenced. The Baltimore artil- 
lery, under Captain Myers and Macgruder, supported by Major 
Pinkney's riflemen, were stationed in advance, to command the 
pass of the bridge, and dealt out a very destructtive fire. But 
the British column advanced upon them in such superior force, 
that they, were obliged to retire. Upon seeing this, the right 
and centre of General Stansbury's brigade, immediately gave 
way, and in a few minutes he was deserted by his whole com- 
mand, except about forty men of Colonel Ragan's regiment, and 
Captain Shower's company. The 5th Baltimore regiment, under 
Colonel Sterret, stationed on the left of General Stansbury's 
brigade, maintained its ground, until, lest it should be outflanked, 
an order was given for its retreat. The reserve, under Brigadier- 
General Smith, of the District of Columbia, with Commodore 
Barney and Lieutenant-Colonel Beall on their right, still re- 
mained upon the hill, and continued the contest after the flight 
of the Maryland brigade. 

2 o 2 



438 BATTLE OF BLADENSBURG. 

As the militia retired, the British regulars advanced upon the 
main road, and coming immediately in front of Commodore 
Barney's flotilla, he opened an eighteen-pounder upon them, 
which cleared the road, and for a time disordered their column, 
and retarded their approach. Two other attempts made by the 
enemy to pass the battery were also repulsed, and General Ross 
marched a division of his troops into an open field, with a deter- 
mination to flank the commodore's right. This attempt also 
was frustrated by Captain Miller, of the marines, with three 
twelve-pounders, and the men of the flotilla acting as infantry. 
After being thus kept in checlv aljout half an hour, General Ross 
began to outflank the right of the battery, in large numbers ; and 
pushed about three hundred men upon General Smith's brigade, 
which, after exchanging a shot or two, fled as precipitately as 
the brigade of General Stansbury. In the panic produced by 
this disorderly retreat, the drivers of the ammunition wagons 
fled also, and Commodore Barney's small command was left to 
contend against the whole force of the enemy, with less than 
one complete round of cartridge. To add to the general misfor- 
tune, and to increase the difficulties even of retiring with credit, 
he had received a severe wound in his thigh, and his horse had 
been killed under him — two of his principal oflicers were killed, 
and Captain Miller and Sailingmaster Martin wounded. The 
places of these could be promptly supplied from the men acting 
as infantry, but the means of repulsing the enemy were expended, 
and the British infantry and marines by this time completely 
in the rear of the battery. Thus situated, the commodore gave 
orders for a retreat, and after being carried a short" distance from 
the scene of his gallantry, he fell exhausted by the loss of blood, 
and was soon after made prisoner by General Ross and Admiral 
Cockburn, who put him on his parole, and having first removed 
him to their hospital in Bladensburg, ordered the immediate 
attendance of their surgeons to dress his wound. 

Having thus obtained possession of tlie pass of the bridge, 
over the eastern branch of the Potomac, the enemy marched 
directly upon the capital, and immediately proceeded to the de- 
struction of all tlie spacious and splendid edifices by which it 
was adorned. The senate liouse, the representative hall, the 



BURNING OF WASHINGTON. 



439 




C'oiiiinodore Haiiiey. 

supreme court room, the president's house, with all its exterior 
and interior decorations, and the buildings containing the public 
dejmrtments, were very soon demolished, and several private 
houses burned to the ground. The plunder of individual pro- 
perty was prohibited, however, and soldiers transgressing the 
order were severely punished. The principal vengeance of 
Admiral Cockburn, on whom, if the safety of the citizens' dwell- 
ings had alone depended, if he is to be judged by his former 
conduct, they would have rested on a slender guarantee, A^'as 
directed against the printing-office of the editor of a newspaper, 
from whose press had been issued frequent accounts of the 
admiral's depredations along the coast. 



440 TROPHIES AND PUBLIC DOCUMENTS SAVED. 

The navy-yard, as well as a new lirst rate frigate, and a sloop 
of war, were destroyed by order of government, upon the ap- 
proach of the enemy, to prevent tlie immense public stores, muni- 
tions, and armaments deposited there, from falling into his hands. 
The patent office alone, in which were collected the rarest 
specimens of the arts of the country, escaped the insatiable 
veno-eance of a foe, whose destroying arm was directed against 
the most super!) monuments of architectural skill and public 
munificence. The public documents and official records, the 
flags and various other trophies of the repeated triumphs of the 
American arms, and the specie from all the banks in the district, 
had previously been placed beyond the reach of the cupidity of 
the invaders, and they returned from an irruption which excited 
the indignation of all parties in the Union, and drew forth tlfc 
deprecations of the principal nations in Europe. 

The president and the heads of departments, all of whom had 
visited the rendezvous of the troops at Bladensburg the day 
before the battle, finding that the force which had been hastily 
assembled, did not amount to the number called for by the 
requisitions upon the adjacent states, returned to the metro})olis 
to make arrangements for the augmentation of General Winder's 
army. This duty, which, in times of less danger, required the 
exercise of great energy, could not be performed before the 
enemy had encountered and defeated the corps already collected. 
The capture of these officers would have caused at least a tem- 
porary derangement of the government, and in order that its 
functions might be resumed immediately after the departure of 
the enemy, they retired from the metropolis upon his approach. 
General Winder had also withdrawn with the remnant of his 
force to Montgomery courthouse ; the citizens were incapable of 
opposing the hostile operations of the British commanders ; and 
the capital was therefore entirely at their mercy. 

That division of the enemy's fleet wliich ascended the Poto- 
mac, consisting of eight sail, upon wliich were moiuited one 
hundred and seventy-three guns, and commanded by Cajitain 
Gordon, was directed to attack the city of Alexandria. As they 
approached up the river, the commander of Fort Warburton, 
Captain Dyson, destroyed that garrison, and retired with his 



PLUNDER OF ALEXANDRIA. 



441 



artillerists, and the British squadron passed up to the city with- 
out annoyance or impediment. The people of Alexandria sur- 
rendered their town, and obtained a stipulation on the 29th of Au- 
gust, from the British commander, that their dwellings should not 
be entered or destroyed. The condition upon which this stipula- 
tion was made, required the immediate delivery to the enemv, 
of all public and private naval and ordnance stores ; of all the 
shipping, and the furniture necessary to their equipment, then 
in port; of all the merchandise of every description, whether in 
the town, or removed from it since the 19th of the month; that 
such merchandise should be put on board the shipping at the 
expense of the owners ; and that all vessels which might have 
been sunk upon the approach of the enemy, should be raised by 
the merchants and delivered up, with all their ap]:)aratus. These 
hard and ungenerous conditions were complied with, and on the 
6th of Se})tember, Captain Gordon moved off with a fleet of 
prize vessels, which, as well as his frigates and other vessels of 
war, contained cargoes of booty. In descending the river he was 
w^armly opposed, and received considerable damage from two 
batteries, at the White House, and at Indian Head, under the 
respective commands of Captains Porter and Perry, of the navy 
— the former assisted by General Hungerford's brigade of Vir- 
ginia militia infantry, and Captain Humphrey's company of 
riflemen, from Jefferson county ; and the latter by the brii^ade of 
General Stewart, and the volunteer companies of Major Peter 
and Captain Birch. The batteries, how^ever, not being com- 
pleted, and mounting but a few light pieces, could not 'prevent 
the departure of the enemy with his immense booty, though 
they kept up an incessant fire, from the 3d until tlie 6tli of the 
month, upon the vessels passing down on each of those days. 
Commodore Rodgers, too, aided by Lieutenant Newcombe and 
Sailingmaster Ramage, made frequent attempts to destroy the 
enemy's shipping, by approaching him within the range of 
musket shot, with several small fire vessels. After the commu- 
nication of the fire, a change of wind prevented these vessels 
from getting in between the British frigates, though they excited 
much alarm among the fleet, whose men were actively employed 
in extinguishing the flames. These respective forces were 

56 



442 DEFENSE OF BALTIMORE. 



afterwards concentrated, and Commodore Rodgers took posses- 
sion of Alexandria, with a determination to defend it, notwith- 
standing its surrender, against another attempt of the enemy, 
whose fleet was not yet out of sight from the nearest battery. 

After the embarkation of the troops under General Iloss, 
wdiose loss at Bladensburg nearly amounted to one thousand 
men, in killed, wounded, prisoners, deserters, and those who 
died of fatio-ue. Admiral Cochrane concentrated the various 
detachments of his fleet, and made preparations for an attack 
upon the city of Baltimore. 

Despatch vessels were forwarded to all parts of the bay, to call 
too-ether the frigates stationed near the different shores, and 
among others the Menelaus, commanded by Sir Peter Parker, 
and then lying in the neighbourhood of Moor's fields. That 
officer determined on an expedition against a detachment of 
Maryland volunteers, encamped, under Colonel Read, at those 
fields, before he obeyed the call of the admiral ; and for that pur- 
pose landed with two hundred and thirty men, and made a de- 
tour to surprise and cut it off". The detachment consisted of one 
hundred and seventy men ; and its commander being apprized of 
the enemy's motions, was fully prepared to receive him. Sir Peter 
advanced to a charge, and being repulsed, opened a fire within 
pistol-shot, which continued nearly an hour. At the end of that 
time his force was driven back, with a loss of seventeen caiTied 
off", and thirteen killed and three wounded left upon the ground. 
Among the wounded w^as Sir Peter, wdio died immediately after 
being put on board the Menelaus. Colonel Read had three men 
slifrhtly wounded. The Menelaus joined the fleet upon the fol- 
lowing day, and sailed wdth it to the mouth of the Petapsco on 
the 10th of September. 

The fleet consisted of nearly forty sail, and the heaviest ves- 
sels, ships of the line, anchored across the channel, and com- 
menced the debarkation of the troops, intended for the land 
attack upon North Point, twelve miles distant from the city. By 
the morning of the 12th, about eight thousand soldiers, sailors, 
and marines w^ere in readiness to march upon the town, and six- 
teen bomb vessels and frigates proceeded up the river, and an- 
chored within two miles and a half of Fort McHenry. 



DEFENSE OF BALTIMORE. 



445 




HIS garrison, commanded by Lieutenant- 
Colonel G. Armistead, of the United Slates 
artillery; a battery at the lazaretto, cc),ii- 
manded by Lieutenant Rutter, of the flo- 
tilla ; a small work called Fort Covino-ton, 
by Lieutenant Newcome, of the Guerriere • 
a SIX gun battery, erected near it, by Lieu- 
tenant Webster, of the flotilla ; and lines 
of intrenchments and breastworks hastily 
thrown up by the people of Baltimore, 
were relied on for the defense and protec- 
tion of the city. 

At the forts and batteries, one thousand 
men were stationed; along the breast- 
works, about 'four times that number — 
and all under command of Major-General 
Samuel Smith, assisted by Brigadier-Ge- 
neral Winder, of the United States army, 
and Brigadier-General Strieker, of the 
Baltimore brigade. 

In anticipation of the enemy's intention to land at North Point, 
and to meet and repulse his light parties, or to engage his whole 
force at a distance from the main works. General Strieker was 
despatched witli part of his brigade, and a light corps of riflemen 
and infantrj^, from General Stansbury's brigade, under Major 
Randal, and several companies of the Pennsylvania volunteers. 
On the evening of the 11th, this detachment, amounting to three 
thousand one liundred and eighty-five effective men, reached 
the meeting-house, near the head of Bear creek, when the volun- 
teer cavalry, under Colonel Biays, were sent three miles, and 
Captain Dj^er's riflemen two miles, in advance. Early on the 
follo^^■ing morning. Captain Montgomery, with the artillery, Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Sterret, with the 5th, and Lieutenant-Colonel 
Long, with the 27th regiments, were sent some distance forward. 
The artillery was planted in the middle of the North Point 
road, and supported on each flank hj the two infantry' regiments. 
The 51st regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Amey, was sta- 
tioned a few hundred yards in the rear of the 5th ; the 39th, 

2P 



446 DEATH OF GENERAL ROSS. 



under Lieutenant-Colonel Fowler, in the rear of the 27th ; and 
the 6th luider Lieutenant-Colonel McDonald, drawn up as a re- 
serve, half a mile in the rear of the whole. 

The riflemen were ordered to skirt a low w^ood, with a large 
sedge field in its front, under cover of wdiich, as the cavalry fell 
back, to apprize General Strieker of the approach of the enemy, 
they w^ere to annoy the British advance, and retire in good order 
upon the main body of the troops. Soon after these dispositions 
had been made, the cavalry came in with the intelligence that the 
enemy's light corps w^ere rapidly advancing along the road, and 
at the moment when it w^as expected they would be engaged by 
the riflemen, that body was seen falling back without having 
opposed them, under a presumption that the enemy had landed 
at Back river, in order to cut off their retreat. The general im- 
mediately pushed forward ttvo companies from the 5th infantry, 
one hundred and fifty in number, under Captains Levering and 
How^ard, and commanded by Major Heath of that regiment; 
about seventy riflemen, under Captain Aisquith; the cavalry, 
and ten artillerists, with a four-pounder, commanded by Lieute- 
nant Stiles. This detachment having proceeded half a mile, 
was met by and instantly engaged the enemy's main body. 

The situation of the ground, would not admit of the co-opera- 
tion of the artillery and cavalry ; and the infantry and riflemen 
sustained the whole action with great gallantry, pouring in a 
rapid and effective fire upon the British column, killing Major- 
General Iloss, and several other oflicers, and impeding the ad- 
vance of the British army. Having performed the duty required 
of them by General Strieker, the whole detachment, with a 
trifling loss, fell back in excellent order upon the American line. 
The enemy then moved forward, imder Colonel Brooke, upon 
whom the command had devolved, and at half past two began to 
throw^ his rockets upon the left flank of the militia brigade. 
Captain Montiromery immediately opened his artillery upon 
him, and the British played upon the left and centre wdth their 
six-pounders and a howitzer. 

The cannonade continued with great vivacity, until General 
Strieker ordered the firing to cease, so as to draw the enemy 
within the range of grape and canister. Colonel Brooke then 



BATTLE OF NORTH POINT. 



447 



covered his whole front with the British Ught brigade, directed 
the 4th regiment, by a detour, to gain a lodgment close upon 
the American left ; and formed a line along General Strieker's 
front, with the 41st regiment, the marines of the fleet, and a 
detachment of seamen; and placed the 21st regiment, the 2d 
battalion of marines, and another detachment of seamen, in 
columns on the main road, with orders to press on the American 
right, on the first opportunity. General Strieker, seeing that his 
left flank would be the main object of attack, ordered up the 
39th into line on the 27th, and detached two pieces of artillery 
to the extreme left of Lieutenant-Colonel Fowler's command. 
Lieutenant-Colonel Amey was also directed to form the 51st at 
right angles, with his right resting near the left of the 39th. 

The whole force of the enemy at that moment pressed for- 
ward, his right column advancing upon the 27th and 39th, 
and attacked those regiments with great impetuosity. The 51st, 
which w^as ordered to open upon the enemy in his attempt to 
turn the rest of the line, delivered a loose fire, immediately broke, 
fled precipitately from its ground, and in such confusion, that 
every effort to rally it proved ineflectual. The 2d battalion of 
the 39th, was thrown into disorder, by the flight of the 51st, and 
some of its companies also gave way. The remainder and the 
1st battalion stood firm. Thus abandoned by the retreat of the 
51st, General Strieker made new arrangements for the reception 
of the enemy, and opened a general fire upon him, from the 
right, left, and centre. 

The artillery sent forth a destructive torrent of canister 
against the British left column, then attempting to gain the 
cover of a small log-house, in front of the 5th regiment. Captain 
Sadtler, with his yagers from that regiment, who were posted 
in the house, wdien the British 4th regiment was advancing, 
had, however, taken the precaution to set fire to it, and the in- 
tention of the enemy was therefore defeated. The 6th regiment 
then opened its fire, and the whole line entered into an animated 
contest, which continued, with a severe loss to the enemy, until 
fifteen minutes before four o'clock. At that hour, General 
Strieker, having inflicted as much injury upon the invaders as 
could possibly be expected, from a line now but fourteen hun- 



448 BATTLE OF NORTH POINT. 

dred strong, against a force amounting, notwithstanding its losses, 
to at least seven thousand men, ordered his brigade to retire upon 
the reserve regiment ; an order well executed by the whole line, 
which in a few minutes rallied upon Lieutenant-Colonel 
McDonald. From the point occupied by this regiment, General 
Strieker, in order to refresh his troops, and prepare them for a 
second movement' of the enemy, retired to a position half a mile 
in Evdvance of the left of Major-General Smith's intrenchments. 
Here he was joined by General Winder, wdio, with General 
Douglass' Virginia brigade, and the United States dragoons, 
under C^aptain Bird, took post upon his left. 

Whilst all these movements were in operation. General Smith 
was actively engaged in manning the trenches and batteries with 
Generals Stansbury's and Foreman's brigades, a detachment of 
seamen and marines, under Commodore liodgers. Colonels Co- 
bean and Finly's Pennsylvania volunteers, Colonel Harris's 
Baltimore artillery, and the marine artillery, under Captain 
Stiles. Colonel Brooke did not advance with his columns fur- 
ther than the ground on which General Strieker had been pre- 
viously formed, where he remained during the night of the 12tli. 
Early on the following morning, he received a communication 
from Admiral Cochrane, that the frigates, bomb ships, and flo- 
tilla of l)arges, v/ould take their stations, to bombard the town 
and fort, in the course of the morning. At daybreak of the 13th, 
the land forces, therefore, again moved forward and occupied a 
position two miles eastward of the intrenchments. 

The day was chiefly employed in manocuvering by both par- 
ties. Colonel Brooke frequently attempting to make a detour 
through tlie country, to the Harford and York roads ; and Ge- 
nerals Winder and Strieker adapting their movements to those 
of the enemy, the better to frustrate his designs. At noon the 
British columns were concentrated directly in front of the Ame- 
rican line, and Colonel Brooke advanced to within a mile of the 
works, drove in the outposts, and made arrangements for an 
attack at niglit. Generals Winder and Strieker were then or- 
dered to station themselves an the enemy's right, and in the 
event of an attack upon the breastworks, to fall upon that flank 
or on his rear. 



BOMBARDMENT OF FORT McHENRY. 



451 



Tlie assault was not made, however, and the enemy, proljably, 
thinking he would he outflanked, and having- discovered the 
strength of the defenses, withdrew from his position in the 
course of the night, and re-embarked his troops in the evening 
of the 14th. His retreat was not discovered until break of that 
day, in consequence of the darkness of tlie night ; and though a 
heavy fall of rain continued throughout the morning, General 
Winder, with his dragoons, and the Virginia militia, Major 
Randal, with his light corps, and the whole militia and cavalry 
were sent in pursuit. The excessive fatigue of the troops, all 
of whom had been three days and niglits under arms, in the 
most inclement weather, prevented their annoying the enemy's 
rear ^tith much effect, and they made prisoners of none but 
stragglers from his army. 

At the moment when Colonel Brooke advanced along the 
Philadelphia road, the frigates and bomb ships of the fleet, ap- 
proached within striking distance of the fort, Colonel Armistead 
had already disposed his force to maintain the cannonade with 
vigour ; a company of regular artillery, under Captain Evans, 
and another of volunteer artillery, under Captain Nicholson, 
manned the bastions in the Star fort ; Captains Bunbury and 
Addison's sea fencibles, and Captain Berry's, and Lieutenant 
Pennington's artillery were stationed at the water batteries ; and 
about six hundred infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Stew-art, 
and Major Lane, were placed in the outer ditch, to repulse an 
attempt to land. The bombardment commenced. 

All the batteries were immediately opened upon the enemy, 
but tlie shot falling very far short of his vessels, the firing ceased 
from the fort, or was maintained only at intervals, to show that 
the o;arrison had not sunk -under the tremendous showers of 
rockets and shells, incessantly thrown into the batteries. Thus 
situated, without the power of retaliating the attack of the ene- 
my, Colonel Armistead and his brave men endured their mortifi- 
cation with an unyielding spirit, during the whole bombardment, 
w^hich continued until seven o'clock on the morning of the 14th. 

Under cover of the night, the British commanders despatched 
a fleet of barges to attack and storm Fort Covington. The at- 
tempt was repulsed, however, and the assailants retired, with 



452 OPERATIONS OF THE BRITISH. 

an immense loss to tlieir bomb vessels, and on the morning of 
Wednesday, the whole stood down the river, and rejoined Ad- 
miral Cochrane's fleet. The loss in the fort amounted to four 
killed, and twenty-four wounded : among the killed were two 
gallant young volunteer officers, Lieutenants Clagget and Clem. 
The entire loss of the enemy has not yet been ascertained. That 
of the Americans on the field of battle did not fall short of one 
hundred and fifty, which, being added to the killed and wounded 
in the fort, makes a total of one hundred and seventy-eight. The 
invaders having thus retired from what they called a demonstra- 
tion upon Baltimore, the safety of the citizens was secured, and 
the different corps were relieved from further duty. 

The plan of operations, however, which had been adopted by 
the British cabinet, to destroy and lay waste the principal towns 
and commercial cities, assailable either by their land or naval 
forces, was not to be abandoned because of this repulse, gallant and 
effective as it was. The cities of Charleston, Savannah, Bal- 
timore, and Washington, were destined to be l)urnt and plim- 
dered ; and New Orleans, the great emporium of all the wealth 
and treasure of the ^^■estern states, was to be seized, and held as 
a colony of Great Britain. The failure of her arms, in an assault 
upon either of these places, was not to prevent an attack upon 
another, no matter Avhat the slaughter; and the separate com- 
manders were directed to concentrate their forces, or draw from 
the Bermudas such an augmentation as should be necessary, and 
in the event of successive repulses upon other ol)jects, to l^end all 
their strength against the city of New Orleans, and its defenses 
on the Mississippi. At the Bermudas, a powerful and well ap- 
pointed fleet and army was for this purpose collected, and their 
arrival upon the southern coast daily anticipated. 

Admiral Cochrane had in the mean time directed a smaller 
squadron of vessels, then fitting out at Pensacola, in the territory 
of a neighbouring nation with whom the United States were at 
the same moment at peace, for an expedition against some of the 
defenses by which the entrance to New Orleans was protected, 
to make the earliest preparation for an assault upon Fort Bowyer, 
a garrison situated at a point called Mobile. 

In the early part of September, this squadron, consisting of 



LAFITTE. 453 

two sloops of war and two gun brigs, mounting in all ninety 
guns, and commanded by Captain Percy, A\'as already on its way 
to the intended attack. 

During the summer, the British brig Orpheus had landed a 
number of officers in Appalachicola l)ay, who entered into arrange- 
ments with the disaffected Creeks of the southern states, by which 
they agreed to assist the enemy in their designs against Louis- 
iana. About the same time Colonel Nicholls sailed from the Ber- 
mudas to Havana, in order to solicit the co-o])eration of the Spanish 
authorities at that place ; but failing in tliis, he proceeded to 
Pensacola, and landed, contrary to the M'ishes of the captain-gene- 
ral. After establishing his head-quarters, he enlisted and publicly 
drilled bands of Indians, clothing them in the British uniform. 

Early in September, Nicholls addressed a ])ackage of letters 
to the noted Lafitte, at that time leader of a nujiierous band 
of lawdess privateers, whose principal station was at Barataria. 
The bearer, Mr. Lockyer, enlarged on the subject of them, urging 
Latitte to enter into the service of his Britannic majesty, with 
all those who were under his command, or over whom he had 
sufficient influence ; and likewise to loan the British army all 
the armed vessels at Barataria, to aid in the intended attack on 
the fort of Mobile. The captain insisted much on the great ad- 
vantages which would thence result to Lafitte and liis crews ; 
offered him the rank of captain in the British service, and the 
sum of thirty thousand dollars, payable at his option, in Pensacola 
or New Orleans ; urging him not to let slip an opportunity so 
favourable for acquiring fortune and consideration. On Lafitte's 
requiring a few days for reflection. Captain Lockyer observed 
that no reflection could be necessary, respecting proposals whicli 
obviously precluded hesitation, as he was a Frenchman, and of 
course now a friend to Great Britain, proscribed by the American 
government, exposed to infamy, and had a brother at that very 
time loaded with irons in the jail at New Orleans. Every other 
argument likely to work on the ambition or avarice of the })ri\'n- 
teer was used with artful address by this minion of IJritisli 
authority. Lafitte, however, refused to give a decisive answer ; 
but with a promptness that does honour to his patriotism, he 
hastened to forward a report of his interview, together with the 



454 DESCRIPTION OF FORT BOWYER. 

despatches, to the American authorities at New Orleans. He 
also requested permission to enter the American service, and 
establish a military post at Barataria. This was not granted. 

Disappointed in this affair, the British began to concentrate their 
preparations at Pensacola and Appalachicola. In the latter place, 
besides troops, they landed twenty thousand stand of arms, with 
ammunition, blankets, and clothing, to be distributed among the 
Indians. They also used every jiieans to detach the southern 
slaves from their masters. 

Meanwhile the Americans had been organizing bands of 
militia, reinforcing the small regulars in New Orleans and other 
stations, and adopting other measures of defense. One feeling 
pervaded the south — hatred to the ruthless invaders who had 
burned cities and towns, devastated districts, and committed 
deeds of pul)lic wrong, lit only for ages of the darkest barbarism. 

As the movements of the enemy left no ground to doubt that 
Fort Bowyer was soon to be attacked, Major Lawrence, the com- 
mandant, made the utmost exertions to place it in a condition for 
a vigorous resistance, while the brave garrison ardently longed 
for an opportunity of evincing their zeal and devotedness for the 
honour and interest of their country. 

Fort Bowyer was a redoubt formed on the sea-side, l)y a semi- 
circular battery of four hundred feet in development, jicinked 
with two curtains sixty feet in length, and joined to a bastion 
wdiose capital line passes through the centre of the circular bat- 
tery. The bastion is capable of containing but t^vo })ieces of 
artillery. Inside, the fort is one hundred and eighty feet in 
length, from the summit of the bastion to the parapet of tlie 
circular battery, and two hundred feet for the length of the chord 
of the arc described. The interior front of the parapet was 
formed of pine Avood, which a single shell could have set on hre. 
The fort was destitute of casements, even for the sick, the am- 
munition or })rovisions. Beside tliese inconveniences, the 
whole work A\'as l)adly situated, being overlooked by several 
mounds of sand at the distance of from two to three hundred 
yards. On the summit of these it would have been easy for an 
enemy to mount pieces of artillery, so that their plunging fire 
would command the inside of the fort. 



ATTACK ON FORT BOWYER. 



455 



On tha 12th of September, four large vessels appeared near 
Mobile Point, and Major Lawrence ordered the whole garrison 
to enter the fort, [nid keep themselves in readiness for action. 
From that time each man passed the niglit at his post, and under 
arms. The whole garrison numbered but one hundred and 
tliirty ]nen including ofUcers, with twenty pieces of cannon, 
several of which were useless. 

On the morning of September 12th, six hundred Indians and 
Spaniards, and one hundred and thirty British marines, landed 
some distance from the fort ; and on the evening of the same day 
two sloops of war, and two brigs anchored within six miles. 
Parties reconnoitered the works next morning, and a few shots 
were fired upon them in the afternoon. Similar demonstrations 
were made on the 14th. At two o'clock, on the loth, tlie ships 
formed in line of battle near the fort. Major Lawrence then 
convened a council of officers, who unanimously resolved, " That 
in case of being, by imperious necessity, compelled to surrender, 
(which could only happen in the last extremity, on the ramparts 
being entirely battered down, and the garrison almost wholly 
destroyed, so that any further resistance would be evidently 
useless,) no capitulation should be agreed on, unless it had for its 
fundamental article, that the officers and privates should retain 
their arms and tlieir private property, and that on no pretext 
should the Indians be suffered to commit any outrage on their 
persons and property ; and, unless full assurance were given 
them, that they would be treated as prisoners of war, according 
to the custom establislied among civilized nations." 

At half past four, the enemy's four ships commenced the at- 
tack, which soon became general. The British had erected a 
land battery, which also opened upon the fort, which was soon 
wrapped in clouds of smoke. The flag of the Hermes, the prin- 
cipal \ esscl, was shot away, and for a few minutes, the firing on 
both sides ceased. It was soon renewed, and the Hermes, losing 
her anchor, was drifted within full range of the fort, where she re- 
mained more than fifteen minutes, exposed to a fire that sAvept 
almost every thing on deck. About this time the American flag 
was shot away, and the enemy's troops on shore believing that 
the fort had surrendered, marched toward it. A volley of grape- 



456 JACKSON MARCHES INTO PENSACOLA. 

shot soon undeceived them, and they hastily retired beyond the 
mounds of sand. The Hermes had now run aground, and being 
utterly unmanageable, she was set on lire. The three remaining 
ships, with much difficulty got to sea. Tlie garrison continued 
their fire upon the Hermes until night, when she appeared in 
flames, burning until eleven, at which time the powder became 
ignited, and she blew up with a tremendous explosion. 

In this assault the enemy numbered thirteen hundred and 
thirty men, with ninety-two pieces of artillery ; while the garri- 
son consisted of but one hundred and thirty men, with twenty 
cannon, several of them unfit for use. The American loss was 
four killed and four wounded ; that of the enemy two liundred 
and thirty-two, of whom but seventy were killed. 

This noljle defense spread a thrill of exultation throughout 
the south, and inspired, in no little degree, that spirit of determined 
patriotism, which was soon to produce such glorious results. 

On the 21st, General Jackson issued a proclamation to the in- 
habitants of Louisiana, in wliich, after setting forth the perfidious 
conduct of the British on tlie coast, and their intrigues with 
Lafitte, he implored their zealous assistance in repelling the 
invaders. A similar address was published to the free coloured 
population. 

As the expedition against Fort Bowyer had sailed from Pen- 
sacola. General Jackson determined to reduce that place, not- 
withstanding its belonging to a neutral nation. Accordingly on 
the 6th of November, 1814, he arrived before the town with four 
thousaiul men, and summoned it to surrender. His flag was 
fired upon ; and on its return, reported to the general that both 
S})anish and English colours were flying from the walls. Be- 
lieving that so wanton an outrage originated entirely from the 
British, Jackson sent a letter to the governor, by a prisoner, de- 
manding a satisfactory explanation of the affront. The governor 
immediately despatched an officer with assurances of his having 
liad no participation in the insidt, adding, that if the general 
was pleased to renew the communication, he would guaranty 
the messenger a proper reception. Tins was done, and the fol- 
lowing conditions were offered : — To receive an American garri- 
son in the forts St. Michael and Barrancas, until the Spanish 



CAPTURE OF SPANISH GARRISONS. 457 

government could procure a sufficient force to enable them to 
maintain their neutrality against its violation by the British, who 
had possessed themselves of the fortresses, notwithstanding the 
remonstrance and protest of the Spanish governor. That the 
American forces should be withdrawn, when such a force should 
arrive. These conditions having been refused, the messenger 
declared, agreably to his instructions, that however painful to 
the general's feelings, recourse would be had to arms. 

On the 7th of November, the American army marched to the 
attack in three columns. The centre was composed of regular 
infantry, with two pieces of artillery, under Major Woodruff. 
The remaining columns, with a battalion of volunteer dragoons 
from Mississippi, marched in the rear. When in sight of the 
town, the centre column Avas ordered to charge, which it did in 
the face of a S])anish battery, losing eleven men, but carrying 
the guns at the point of the bayonet. The Spaniards had four 
killed and six wounded. The governor now sent a flag of truce 
to the American general, and hostilities ceased. It was agi-eed 
that the block-houses of the town. Barrancas, and fort St. Michael 
should receive Em American garrison. But the commandant of 
St. Michael refused to obey the governor's order, and held pos- 
session of the fort. General Jackson offered him the same pro- 
positions that had been made the night before, and half an hour 
to determine. Then having resigned the command to Major 
Pierce, with eight hundred men, and instructions to get posses- 
sion of the fort before night, either by negotiation or force, he 
retired to his camp with the remainder of the troops. During 
the afternoon the St. Rose battery, opposite Barrancas, was blown 
up by the Spaniards; and at ten o'clock, p. m., Colonel Sotto, 
the commandant of St. Michael, surrendered without opposition. 
The fort was immediately taken possession of by the Americans. 
Public and private property in this sttition, and all otliers of the 
city, was respected with a carefulness that excited the greatest 
astonishment and pleasure among the inhabitants. 

Next morning the Spanish governor refused to issue an order 
for the surrender of Barrancas, alleging that it would 1)0 dis- 
obeyed. As it commanded the entrance into Pensacola bay,' and 
was of the utmost importance, Jackson determined on assaulting 

2Q 58 _ 



458 INFLUENCE OF GENERAL JACKSON. 

it. While preparations were making for this purpose, an 
explosion was heard, and flames were seen proceeding from the 
fort. The cause was soon ascertained; the British had per- 
suaded the commandant to blow up the w^orks, and retire to 
Havana, with all his force, amounting to three or four hundred 
men. The object of the expedition being accomplished. General 
Jackson determined to withdraw the greater part of his army 
from the Spanish territory, and march back to Mobile and New 
Orleans. He set out on the 9th, and after stopping for some 
days at the former place, he- reached New Orleans, December 
2d. On the same day he reviewed the battalion of uniform 
companies of New Orleans militia, commanded by Major Daquin. 
Their appearance and behaviour afforded him much satisfaction. 

The arrival of General Jackson gave a new complexion to 
affairs in the city. Hitherto all attempts to adopt measures of 
defense had been feeble. The legislature had appointed a joint 
committee of both houses, to concert with the governor. Commo- 
dore Patterson, and the military commandant, such measures as 
might be deemed most expedient. But there was no concentra- 
tion of power, nor even of feeling. The citizens distrusted the 
abilities of their civil and military authorities. Unprofitable dis- 
putes increased the difficulty. Credit was destroyed ; the banks 
had all suspended payment, and business was utterly stagnant. 
But General Jackson united all parties, arrested all discord, and 
gave instant animation to the measures of defense. On the 
second day after his arrival, the general visited Fort St. Philip, 
in order to ascertain its condition, and to examine what parts of 
the river below New Orleans it might be expedient to fortify. 
He ordered the demolition of the wooden barracks within the 
fort, several additional pieces of artillery to be mounted on the 
rampart, and a thirty-two-pounder, and a mortar in the covered 
way. He also ordered two batteries to be constructed, mounting 
twenty -four-pounders. 

On the lOtli General Jackson wrote to the governor of the 
state, informing him that the river banks could be well defended, 
and urging the expediency of requesting the planters to loan 
their' slaves for the purpose of throwing up embankments. He 
stated the dangerous position of affairs, and the necessity of 



JACKSON PROCLAIMS MARTIAL LAW. 459 

immediate action. The governor and legislature cordially re- 
sponded to his views, and were immediately seconded by the 
inhabitants. 

On the afternoon of the 13th, six gun-boats, under Lieutenant 
Jones, who had been sent out to vv'atcli the movements of the 
British fleet, encountered a number of the enemy's barges. 
Manoeuveringtook place until after midnight, when the lieutenant 
was forced to anchor near Malheureux island. On the same 
day a tender was set on lire to prevent its falling into the hands 
of the British. Early on the 14th, the enemy captured the 
tender Alligator. The whole British flotilla then attacked the 
gun-boats, and an action ensued, in wdiich one hundred and 
eighty-two men, distril^uted in boats, fought three-quarters of an 
hour, with twelve hundred veterans, in fortv-two laro-e baro-es, 
carrying nine and twelve-pounders, and twenty-four-pound 
carronades, in all numbering forty-three pieces. They had six 
men killed, and thirty-five wounded. The British had several 
barges sunk, and lost more than two hundred men. 

From this time until the 21st, every precaution w^as taken to 
provide against the expected attack. General Jackson armed all 
his troops, reviewed them daily, wrote by express to Generals 
Coffee, Carrol, and Thomas, to join him with all speed, and de- 
clared the city under strict martial law. " All classes of society 
were animated with the most ardent zeal. The young, tlie old, 
women, children, all breathed defiance to the enemy. It was 
known that the enemy was on our coast, within a few hours' 
sail of the city, with a presumed force of betw^een nine and ten 
thousand men ; M'hilst all the forces we had yet to oppose him 
amounted to no more than one thousand regulars, and from four 
to five thousand militia; yet such was the universal confidence 
inspired l)y the activity and decision of the commander-in-chief, 
added to the detestation in which the enemy was held, and the 
desire to punish his audacity, should he presume to land, that 
not a single warehouse or shop -was shut, nor were any goods or 
valuable effects removed from the city." 

On the 21st, twelve men were sent in a boat to a settlement 
of Spanish fishermen, on the left bank of the Bayou Bienvenu, 
above its entrance into Lake Borgne, in order to give notice of 



460 



REPULSE OF THE BRITISH. 



any attempt of the enemy to penetrate that way. The fishermen 
were in the British service; and, on arriving at their village, the 
detachment found but one there, the others, under pretence of 
fishing, having gone as pilots to the Britisli barges. The men 
kept u]) an incessant watch for the enemy until midnight of the 
22d, when a noise was heard, and each man seized his arms. 
Five barges fdled with men, and provided with artillery, were 
soon perceived. Seven men entered their boat, but being per- 
ceived, were all captured. But four of the whole detachment 
escaped, and three of these, after numerous hardships, were sub- 
sequently captured. The enemy then pushed forward to General 
Villery's plantation, captured his son and several others, and 
t09k possession of the estate. 

Of the events which followed, we have the following account 
from Eaton's Life of Jackson : 

fAYOU BIENVENU, through Mdiich the 
landing was made, is an arm of considerable 
widtli, stretching toward the Mississippi, 
from Lake Borgne, and about fifteen miles 
south-east of New Orleans. It had been re- 
ported to General Jackson, on the 23d, that, 
on the day before, several strange sail had 
been descried off Terre au Boeuf To 
ascertain correctly the truth of the statement. Majors Tatum 
and Latour, topographical engineers, had been sent off, with 
orders to proceed in that direction, and learn if any thing w^ere 
attempting there. It was toward noon of the 23d, when they 
started. Approaching General Villery's plantation, and perceiv- 
ing at a distance, soldiers, and persons fleeing hastily away, 
they at once supposed the enemy- had arrived. What, how- 
ever, was but surmise, was presently, and on nearer observation, 
rendered certain ; and it was now no longer a doubt, but that the 
British had landed, in considerable force, and had actually 
gained, unobserved, the house of General Villery, on the bank 
of the Mississippi, where they had surprised, and made prisoners, 
a company of militia, there posted. 

*' Major Tatum, hastening back, announced his discovery. 
Preparations to act were immediately made by General Jackson. 




JACKSON RESOLVES TO GIVE BATTLE. 



461 




The signal guns were fired, and expresses sent forward, to con- 
centrate the forces ; resolving, that night, to meet the invaders, 
and try his own and their firmness. 

HE hour to test the bravcrv 



of his troops had now 
arrived. The approach of 
the enemy, flushed with the 
hope of easy victory, was 
announced to Jackson, a little after 
one o'clock in the afternoon. There 
were too many reasons, assuring him 
of the necessity of acting speedily, to 
hesitate a moment, on the course proper to be pursued. Could 
he assail them, and obtain even a partial advantage, it might be 
beneficial — it might arrest disaffection — buoy up the despondent 
— determine the wavering, and. bring within his reach resources 
for to-morrow, which might wholly fail, should fear once take 
possession of the public mind. It was a moment, too, of all 
others, most propitious to success. He well knew the greater 
part of his troops were inured to marching and fatigue, Avhilc 
those opposed to him were just landed from a long voyage, and 
were as yet without activity, and unfitted for bodily exertion. 
Moreover, a part only might have arrived from the shipping, 
while the remainder would be certainly disembarked as early as 
possible. These circumstances seemed to augment, in his behalf, 
the chances of victory, if now sought; but if deferred, they might, 
in a little time, disappear. He resolved, at all events, to march, 
and that night give them battle. Generals Coffee and Carroll 
were ordered to proceed immediately from their encampment, 
and join him with all haste. Although four miles above, they 
arrived in the city in less than two hours after the order liad been 
issued. These forces, with the 7th and 44th regiments, tlie 
Louisiana troops, and Colonel Hinds's dragoons, constituted tlic 
strength of his army, which could be carried into action against 
an enemy, whose numbers, at this time, could only be conjectured. 
It w[is thought advisable to leave Carroll and his division behind ; 
for notwithstanding there Avas no correct information of the force 
landed through Villery's canal, yet Jackson feared that this 

2 0.2 



462 



ALARMS OF THE CITY. 



might be only a feint, intended to divert his attention, while, in 
all probability, a much stronger and more numerous division, 
Jiaving already gained some point higher on the lake, might, by 
advancing in his absence, gain his rear, and succeed in their 
views. Uncertain of their movements, it was essential he should 
be prepared for the worst, and, by different dispositions of his 
troops, be ready to resist, in wdiatever quarter he might be 
assailed. Carroll, therefore, at the head of his division, and 
Governor Claiborne, with the state militia, were directed to take 
])ost on the Gentilly road, leading from Chef Menteur to New 
Orleans, and to defend it to the last extremity. 

" Colonel Hayne, with two companies of riflemen, and the 
Mississippi dragoons, was sent forward to reconnoiter their camp, 
learn their position and their numbers ; and, in the event they 
should be found advancing, to harass and oppose them at every 
step, until the main body should arrive. 

VERY thing being ready, General Jackson 
commenced his march, to meet and fight the 
veteran troops of England. An inconsider- 
able circumstance, at this moment, evinced 
what unlimited confidence w^as reposed in 
his skill and bravery. As his troops were 
marching through the city, his ears were 
assailed with the screams and cries of in- 
numerable females, wdio had collected on the way, and seemed to 
apprehend the worst of consequences. Feeling for their distresses, 
and anxious to quiet them, he directed Mr. Livingston to address 
them in the French language. " Say to them," said he, " not to 
be alarmed: the enemy shall never reach the city." It operated 
like an electric shock. To know that he himself was not appre- 
hensive of a fatal result, inspired them with altered feelings ; sor- 
row was ended, and their grief converted into hope and confidence. 
" The general arrived in view of the enemy, a little before 
dark. Having previously ascertained from Colonel Hayne their 
position, and that their strength was about two thousand men,* 

* This opinion, as it afterwards appeared, was incorrect! Their number, at the com- 
mencement of the action, was three thousand, which was shortly afterwards increased 
by additional forces. 




MODE OF ATTACK. 463 



he immediately concerted the mode of attack, and hastened to 
execute it. Commodore Patterson, commanding the naval forces, 
with Captain Henly on board the Caroline, had been directed to 
drop down, anchor in front of their line, and open upon them 
from the guns of the schooner; which being the signal for 
attack, was to be waged simultaneously on all sides. The fires 
from their camp disclosed their position, and showed their en- 
campment, formed with their left resting on the river, and ex- 
tending at right angles into the open lield. General Coffee, 
with his brigade. Colonel Hinds's dragoons, and Captain Beal's 
company of riflemen, was ordered to oblique to the left, and, by 
a circuitous route, avoid their pickets, and endeavour to turn 
their right wing ; having succeeded in this, to form his line, 
and press the enemy towards the river, where they would be ex- 
posed more completely to the fire of the Caroline. The rest of 
the troops, consisting of the regulars, Plauche's city volunteers, 
Daquin's coloured troops, the artillery under Lieutenant Spoots, 
supported by a company of marines, commanded by Colonel 
McKee, advanced along the bank of the Mississippi, and were 
commanded by Jackson in person. 

" General Coffee had advanced beyond their pickets, next the 
svv^amp, and nearly reached the point to which he was ordered, 
when a broadside from the Caroline announced the battle begun. 
Patterson had proceeded slowly, giving time, as he believed, for 
the execution of those arrangements contemplated on the shore. 
So sanguine had the British been in the belief that they would 
be kindly received, and little opposition attempted, that the 
Caroline floated by the sentinels, and anchored before their camp, 
without any kind of molestation. On passing the front picket, 
she was hailed in a low voice, but returning no answ^er, no 
further question was made. This, added to some other attend- 
ant circumstances, confirmed the opinion that they believed her 
a vessel laden with provisions, w^hich had been sent out from 
New Orleans, and was intended for them. Having reached 
what, from their fires, appeared to be the centre of their encamp- 
ment, her anchors were cast, and her character and business dis- 
closed from her guns. So unexpected an attack produced a 
momentary confusion ; but, recovering, they answered her by a 



464 



BATTLE OF 23d OF DECEMBER. 





discharge of musketry, and flight of congreve rockets, which 
passed without injury, while her grape and canister were pouring 
destructively on them. To take away the certainty of aim af- 
forded by the light of their fires, these were immediately ex- 
tinguished, and they retired two or three hundred yards into the 
open field, if not out of the reach of the cannon, at least to a 
distance, where, by the darkness of the night, they would be 
protected. 

OFFEE had dismounted his 
men, and turned his horses 
loose, at a large ditch, next the 
swamp, in the rear of Lorond's 
plantation, and gained, as he 
believed, the centre of the enemy's line, 
when the signal from the Caroline 
reached him. He directly wheeled his 
^ columms in, and, extending his line 
^"^ parallel with the river, moved towards 
their camp. He had scarcely advanced more than a hundred 
yards, when he received a heavy fire, from a line formed in his 
front : this, to him, was an unexpected circumstance, as he sup- 
posed the enemy lying principally at a distance, and that the only 
opposition he should meet, until he approached towards the 
levee,* would be from their advanced guards. The circumstance 
of his coming up with them so soon was owing to the severe 
attack of the schooner, which had compelled them to abandon 
their camp, and form without her reach. The moon shone, but 
reflected her light too feebly to discover objects at a distance. 
The only chance, therefore, of producing certain injury, with 
this kind of force, which consisted chiefly of riflemen, was not to 
venture at random, but only to discharge their pieces when there 
should be a certainty of felling the object. This order being 
given, the line pressed on, and, having gained a position near 
enougli to distinguish, a general fire was given ; it was too 
severe and destructive to be withstood ; the enemy gave way, 
and retreated, — rallied, — formed, — were charged, and again re- 



Embankments formed along the river, to confine it in its bed. 



BATTLE OF 23d OF DECEMBER. 465 

treated. These gallant men, led by their brave commander, 
urged fearlessly on, and drove them from every position they 
attempted to maintain. Their general was under no necessity 
to encourage and allnre them to deeds of valour : his own example 
was sufficient to excite them. Always in the midst, he displayed 
a coolness and disregard of danger, calling to his troops, that 
they had often said they could fight, now was the time to prove it. 

"The enemy, driven back by the resolute firmness and ardour 
of their assailants, had now reached a grove of orange trees, with 
a ditch running past it, protected by a fence on the margin. It 
was a favourable position, promising security, and was occupied 
with a confidence that they could not be forced to yield it. 
Coffee's dauntless yeomanry, strengthened in their hopes of 
success, moved on, nor discovered the advantages against them, 
until a fire from the whole British line showed their defense. 
A momentary check was given ; but, gathering fresh ai-dour, 
they charged across the ditch, gave a deadly and destructive fire, 
and forced them to retire. Their retreat continued, until, gain- 
ing a similar position, they made another stand, and were again 
driven from it, with considerable loss. 

"Thus the battle raged, on the left wing, until the British 
reached the bank of the river ; here a detennined stand was 
made, and further encroachments resisted : for half an hour the 
conflict was extremely violent on both sides. The American 
troops could not be driven from their purpose, nor the British 
made to yield their ground ; but at length, having suffered 
greatly, the latter were under the necessity of taking refuge 
behind the levee, which afforded a breastwork, and protected 
them from the fatal fire of our riflemen. Coffee, unacquainted 
with their position, for the darkness had greatly increased, 
already contemplated again to charge them ; but Major Moulton, 
who had discovered their situation, assured him it was too 
hazardous; that they could be driven no further, and would, 
from the point they occupied, resist Avith the bayonet, and repel, 
with considerable loss, any attempt to dislodge them. The place 
of their retirement was covered in front by a strong bank, which 
had been extended into the field, to keep out the river, in conse- 
quence of the first being encroached upon, and undermined in 

59 



466 



BATTLE OF 23d OF DECEMBER. 




several places : the old one, however, was still entire, in many 
parts, and gave them security from the broadsides of the schooner, 
which lay of!" at some distance. A further apprehension, lest, by 
moving- still nearer the river, he might greatly expose himself to 
tlie hre of the Caroline, which was yet spiritedly maintaining the 
conflict, induced Cofiee to retire until he could hear from the 
commanding' general, and receive his further orders. 

URING this time, the right wing, 
under Jackson, was no less prompt 
and active. A detachment of 
artillery under Lieutenant Spotts, 
supported by sixty marines, 
formed the advance, and had 
moved down the road, next the 
levee. On their left was the 7th 
regiment of infantry, led by 
Major Piere. The 44th, com- 
manded by Major Baker, was 
formed on the extreme left ; while 
Plauche's and Daquin's battalions of city guards, were directed 
to be posted in the centre, between the 7th and 44th. The gene- 
ral had ordered Colonel Ross, who, during the night, acted in 
the capacity of brigadier-general, on hearing the signal from the 
Caroline, to move off by heads of companies, and, having reached 
the enemy's line, to deploy, and seek to unite the left ^\dng with 
the riglit of General Coffee's. This order was omitted to be ex- 
ecuted ; and the consequence was an early introduction of con- 
fusion in the ranks, whereby was prevented the important design 
of uniting the two divisions. 

" Instead of marching in colunm from the first position, the 
troops were wheeled into an extended line, and moved off in this 
order, except the 7tli regiment, next the person of the general, 
which advanced agreably to the instructions that had been given. 
Having sufficient ground to form on at first, no inconvenience 
was at the moment sustained : but this advantage presently fail- 
ing, the centre was compressed, and forced in the rear. The 
river, from where they were, gradually inclined to the left, and 
diminished the space originally possessed : farther in, stood Lo- 



BATTLE OF 23d OF DECEMBER. 467 




roiid's house, siirrouin,lod by a grovo of clustered orange trees : 
this pressing the k;tt, and the river the right wing to the centre, 
formed a curve, wliich threw the principal part of Plauche's and 
Daquin's battalions without the line. This miglit have been 
remedied, but for the briskness of the advance, and the darkness 
of the night. A heavy fire from behind a fence immediately 
before them, had brought the enemy to view. Acting in obe- 
dience to their orders, not to Avaste their ammunition at random, 
our troops had pressed forward against the opposition in their 
front, and thereby threw those battalions in the rear. 

FOG rising from the river, which, added 
to the smoke from the guns, was covering 
the plain, — gradually diminishing the 
little light shed by the moon, and greatly 
increasing the darkness of the night : no 
clue was left, to tell how or where the 
enemy were situated. There was no 
alternative but to move on, in the direc- 
tion of their fire, which subjected the as- 
sailants to material disadvantages. The British, driven from 
their first position, had retired back, and occupied another, behind 
a deep ditch, that ran out of the Mississippi towards the swamp, 
on the top of wdiich was a high fence. Here, strengthened by 
increased numbers, they again opposed the a})proach of our 
troops. Having waited until they had come sufficiently near to 
be discovered, they discharged, from their fastnesses, a fire upon 
the advancing army. Instantly our battery was formed, and 
poured destructively upon them ; while tlie infantry, coming up, 
aided in the conflict, which was for some time spiritedly main- 
tained. At tliis moment, a brisk sally was made upon our ad- 
vance, when the marines, unequal to the assault, were already 
giving way. The adjutant-general, and Colonels Piatt and 
Chotard, with a part of the 7th, hastening to their support, drove 
the enemy, and saved the artillery from capture. General 
Jackson, perceiving the advantages they derived from llieir 
position, ordered their line to be charged. It was obeyed wilh 
cheerfulness, and executed with promptness. Pressing on, our 
troops gained the ditch, and, pouring across it a well-aimed fire, 



468 



REPULSE OF THE BRITISH. 



compelled them to retreat, and ahandon their intrenchment. 
The plain, on wliich they were contending, was cut to pieces, 
by races from the river, to convey the water. They were, there- 
fore, very soon enal)led to take another situation, equally favour- 
able with the one whence they had just been driven, where they 
formed for battle, and, for some time, gallantly maintained them- 
selves ; but were at length forced to yield it, and retreat. 

" The enemy, discovering the firm and obstinate resistance 
made l)y the right wing of the American army, and perhaps pre- 
suming its principal strength was posted on the road, formed the 
intention of attacking violently the left. Obliquing for this pur- 
pose, an attempt was made to turn it. At this moment, Daquin's 
and the battalion of city guards were marched up, and, being 
formed on the left of the 44th, met and repulsed them. 

" The time of the contest prevented many of those benefits 
which might have been derived from the artillery. The blaze 
of the enemy's musketry was the only light by which they could 
judge of their positions, or be capable of taking their own to 
advantage ; yet, notwithstanding, it greatly annoyed them, when- 
ever it could be brought to bear. Directed by Lieutenant Spotts, 
a vigilant and skilful officer, with men to aid him, who looked 
to nothing but a zealous discharge of their duty, it rendered the 
most essential and important services. 

HE enemy had been thrice assailed 
and beaten, and made to yield their 
ground for nearly a mile. They 
had now retired, and, if found, were 
to 1)0 again sought for through the 
dark. The general determined to 
halt, and ascertain Coffee's position 
and success, previously to waging 
the battle further, for as yet no com- 
munication had passed between 
them. He entertained no doubt, from the brisk firing in that 
direction, but that he had been warmly engaged ; but this had 
now nearly subsided ; the Caroline, too, had almost ceased her 
operations ; it being only occasionally that the noise of her gims 
disclosed the little opportunity she possessed of acting efficiently. 




DETERMINATION NOT TO PURSUE THE ENEMY. 469 

^' The express despatclicd to General Jackson, from the left 
wing, having reached him, he determined to prosecute the suc- 
cesses he had gained no further. The darkness of the night — 
the confusion into which his own division had been thrown, and 
a similar one on the part of Coffee, all pointed to the necessity 
of retiring from the field, and abandoning the contest. The 
bravery and firmness already displayed by his troops, had in- 
duced the belief, that by pressing on he might capture the whole 
British army : at any rate, he considered it but a game of venture 
and hazard, which, if unsuccessful, could not occasion his own 
defeat. If, incompetent to its execution, superior numbers or 
superior discipline should compel him to recede from the effort, 
he well knew the enemy woidd not have temerity enough to 
attempt pursuit. The extreme darkness — their entire ignorance 
of the situation of the country, and an apprehension lest their 
forces might be greatly outnumbered, afforded him sufficient 
reasons, on which to ground a belief, that although beaten from 
his purpose, he would yet have it in his power to retire in safety : 
but on tlie arrival of the express from General Coffee, learning 
the strong position to which the enemy had retired, and that a 
part of the left wing had been detached, and were in all proba- 
bility captured, he determined to retire from the contest, nor 
attempt a further prosecution of his successes. General Coffee 
was accordingly directed to withdraw, and take a position at 
Lorond's plantation, where the line had been first formed : and 
thither the troops on the right were also ordered to be marched. 

" Tlie last charge made by the left wing, had separated from 
the main body, Colonels Dyer and Gibson, with two hundred 
men, and Captain Beal's company of riflemen. What might 
he their fate — whether captured, or had effected their retreat, 
was at this time altogether uncertain ; be that as it might. Cof- 
fee's command Avas thereby considerably weakened. 

" Colonel Dyer, who commanded the extreme left, on clearing 
the grove, after the enemy had retired, was marching in tlie di- 
rection he expected to find General Coffee ; he very soon dis- 
covered a force in front, and hastened towards it. Arriving within 
a short distance, he was hailed, ordered to stop, and to report 
to whom he belonged : Dyer and Gibson advanced, and stated 

2R 



470 BRITISH REINFORCED. 

they were of Coffee's brigade ; by tins time tliey had arrived 
within a short distance of the Une, and perceiving the name of 
their brigade was not understood, their apprehensions were 
awakened, lest it might be a detachment of the enemy ; in this 
opinion they were immediately confirmed, and wheeling to return, 
were fired upon and pursued. Gibson had scarcely started 
Avhcn he fell ; Ijefore he could recover, a soldier, quicker than 
the rest, had reached him, and pinned him to the ground with 
his bayonet ; fortunately the stab had but slightly wounded him, 
and he was only held by his clothes : thus pinioned, and others 
brislvly advancing, but a moment was left for deliberation ; — 
making a violent exertion, and springing on his feet, he threw 
his assailant to the ground, and made good his retreat. Colonel 
Dyer had retreated about fifty yards, when his horse dropped 
dead ; entangled in the fall, and slightly wounded in the thigh, 
there was little prospect of relief, for the enemy were briskly 
advancing : his men being near at hand, he ordered a fire, which 
checking their approach, enabled him to escape. Being now at 
the head of his command, — perceiving an enemy in the direc- 
tion he had not expected, and uncertain how or where he might 
find General Coffee, he determined to seek him to the right, and 
moving on with his little band, forced his way through the ene- 
my's lines, with a loss of sixty-three of his men, who were 
killed and taken. Captain Beal, with equal bravery, charged 
through the enemy, carrying off some prisoners, and losing 
several of his own company. 

" This reinforcement of the British had arrived from Bayou 
Bienvenu after night. The boats that had landed the first de- 
tachment, had proceeded back to the shipping, and having re- 
turned, were on their way up the bayou, when they heard the 
guns of the Caroline; moving hastily on to the assistance of 
those who had debarked before them, they reached the shore, 
and knowing nothing of the situation of the two armies, came 
up in the rear of General Coffee's brigade. Coming in contact 
with Colonel Dyer and Captain Beal, they filed off to the left, 
and reached the British camp. 

" This part of Coffee's brigade, unable to unite with, or find 
him, retired where they had first formed, and joined Colonel 



ARRIVAL OF CARROLL's DIVISION. 471 

Hinds's dragoons, which had remained on the ground where the 
troops had first dismounted, to cover their retreat, in the event 
it became necessary. 

" Jackson had gone into this battle with a confidence of suc- 
cess ; and his arrangements were such as w^ould have insured 
it, even to a much greater extent, but {or the intervention of 
circumstances that were not and coiild not be foreseen. The 
Caroline had given her signals, and commenced the battle a little 
too early, before Coffee had reached and taken his position, and 
before every thing was fully in readiness to attain the objects 
designed ; but it was chiefly owing to the confusion introduced 
at first into the ranks, which checked the rapidity of his advance, 
gave the enemy time for preparation, and prevented his division 
from uniting with the right wing of General Coffee's brigade. 

" Colonel Hinds, with one Imndred and eighty dragoons, was 
not brought into action during the night. Interspersed as the 
plain was with innumerable ditches, cut in different directions, 
it was impossible that cavalry could act to any kind of advan- 
tage : they were now formed in advance, to watch, until morn- 
ing, the movements of the enemy. 

" From the experiment just made, Jackson believed it would 
be in his power on renewing the attack to capture the enemy : 
he concluded, therefore, to call down General Carroll with his 
division, and assail him again at the dawn of day. Directing Go- 
vernor Claiborne to remain at his post, with the Louisiana militia, 
for the defense of the Gentilly road, he despatched an order to 
Carroll; in the event there had been no appearance of a force 
during the night, in the direction of Chef Menteur, to hasten 
and join him with his command ; which order was executed by 
one o'clock in tlie morning. Previously, however, to his arrival 
a different conclusion was taken. From prisoners who had 
been brought in, and some deserters, it w^as ascertained that the 
strength of the enemy during the battle w^as four thousand, and 
with the reinforcements which had reached them, after its com- 
mencement, it was then not less than six : — at any rate, it ex- 
ceeded his own greatly, even after the Tennessee division should 
be added. Although very decided advantages had been ob- 
tained, yet 'they had been procured under circumstances that 



472 JACKSON FORMS HIS LINE. 

might be wholly lost in a contest waged in open day, between 
forces so disproportioned, and by undisciplined troops against 
veteran soldiers. Jackson well knew it was incumbent upon 
him to act a part entirely defensive : should the attempt to gain 
and destroy the city succeed, numerous difficulties would arise, 
which might be avoided, so long as he could hold the enemy in 
check, and halt him in his designs. Prompted by these consi- 
derations, — that it was important to pursue a course calculated, 
to assure safety ; and believing it attainable in no way so effect- 
ually as in occupying some point, and by the strength he might 
give it, make up for the inferiority of his numbers ; he deter- 
mined to forbear all further efforts, until he should more cer- 
tainly discover the views of the enemy, and until the Kentucky 
troops should reach him, which had not yet arrived. Pursuing 
tliis idea, at four o'clock, having ordered Colonel Hinds to occupy 
the ground he was then leaving, and to observe the enemy 
closely, he fell back, and formed his line behind a deep ditch 
that ran at right angles from the river. There were two cir- 
cumstances strongly recommending the importance of this place : 
the swamp, which, from the high lands at Baton Rouge, skirted 
the river at irregular distances, and was in many places almost 
impervious, had approached here within four hundred yards of 
the Mississippi, and hence, from the narrowness of the pass, 
was more easily to be defended ; added to Avhich, there was a 
deep canal, whence the dirt being thrown on the upper side, 
already formed a tolerable breastwork. Behind this his troops 
were formed, and proper measures adopted for increasing its 
strength, with a determination never to abandon it ; but there 
to resist to the last, and defend those rights which were sought 
to be outraged and destroyed. 

" The soldier who has stood the shock of battle, and knows 
what slight circumstances often produce decided advantages, 
w411 be able, properly, to appreciate the events of this night. 
Although the dreadful carnage of the 8th of January, hereafter 
to be told, was in fact the finishing blow, that struck down the 
towering hopes of those invaders, and put an end to the contest; 
yet in the battle of the 23d, is to be found abundant cause, why 
success resulted to our arms, and safety was given to the country. 



NUMBER ENGAGED. 473 



The British had reached the Mississippi without the fire of a 
gun, and had encamped upon its banks, as composedly as if 
they had been seated on their own soil, and at a distance from 
all danger. These were circumstances awakening a belief that 
they expected little opposition, were certain of success, and that 
the troops with whom they were to contend, would scarcely 
venture to resist them : resting thus confidently, they would the 
next day have moved forward, and succeeded in the accomplish- 
ment of their designs. Jackson, convinced that an early im- 
pression was essential to ultimate success, had resolved to assail 
them at the moment of their landing, and ' attack them in their 
first position :' we have, therefore, seen him, with a force, infe- 
rior by one half, to that of the enemy, at an unexpected moment, 
break into their camp, and with his undisciplined yeomanry, 
drive before him the pride of Europe. It was an event that 
could not fail to destroy all previous theories, and establish a 
conclusion, our enemy had not before formed, that they Avere 
contending against valour inferior to none they had seen ; — before 
which their own bravery had not stood, nor their skill availed 
them : it had the effect of satisfying them, that the quantity and 
kind of troops it was in his power to wield, must be different from 
what had been represented ; for, much as they had heard of the 
courage of the man, they could not suppose, that a general, 
having a country to defend, and a reputation to preserve, would 
venture to attack, on their own chosen ground, a greatly supe- 
rior army, and one, which, by the numerous victories achieved, 
had already accpiired a fame in arms ; they were convinced 
that his force must greatly surpass what they had expected, and 
be composed of materials different from what they had imagined. 
"The American troops, which were actually engaged, did not 
amount to two thousand men : they consisted of part of 

Coffee's brigade and Captain Beal's company, - 648 
The 7th and 44th regiments, - - - - 763 

Company of marines and artillery, - - -82 
Plauche's and Daquin's battalions, - - - 4S8 

And the Mississippi dragoons, under Colonel 7 .g/. 
Hinds, not in the action, 



2167 



2h2 60 



474 REMARKS ON THE BATTLE. 




which for one hour maintained a severe conflict with a force of 
four or five thousand, and retired in safety from the ground with 
the loss of l)ut twenty-four killed, one hundred and fifteen 
wounded, and seventy-four made prisoners; while the killed, 
wounded and prisoners of tlie enemj^, were not less than four 
hundred. 

UR officers and soldiers executed every order with 
promj)tness, and nobly sustained their country's 
character. Lieutenant-Colonel Lauderdale, of 
Coffee's brigade, an officer on wdiom every reli- 
ance was placed, fell at his post, and at his duty : 
he had entered the service, and descended the 
river, with the volunteers, tinder General Jackson, in the winter 
of 1812 — passed through all the hardships and difficulties of 
the Creek war, and had ever manifested a readiness to act when 
his country needed his services. Young, brave, and skilful, he 
had already afforded evidences of a capacity, which miglit in 
future, have become useful ; his exemplary conduct, both in civil 
and military life, acquired for him a respect, that rendered his fall 
a subject of general regret. Lieutenant McLelland, a valuable 
young officer, of the 7th, was also among the number of the 
slain. 

" Coffi'o's Inigade, during the action, imitating the example of 
their commander, bravely contended, and ably supported the 
character they had estaljlishcd. The unequal contest in which 
they w^ere engaged, never occurred to them ; nor for a moment 
checked the rapidity of their advance. Had the British known 
they were mere riflemen, without bayonets, a firm stand would 
have arrested their progress, and destruction or capture would 
have been the inevitalDle consequence; but this circumstance 
beino" unknown, every charge they made was crowned with 
success, producing discomfiture, and routing and driving supe- 
rior numbers before them. Officers, from the highest to inferior 
grades, discharged what had been expected of them. Ensign 
Leach, of the 7th regiment, being wounded through the body, 
still remained at his post, and in the performance of his duty. 
Colonel Reuben Kemper, enterprising and self-collected, amidst 
the confusion introduced on the left wing, found himself at the 



REMARKS ON THE BATTLE. 475 

head of a handful of men, detached from the main body, and 
in the midst of a party of the enemy ; never did any man better 
exempUfy the truth of the position, that discretion is sometimes 
the better part of valour : to attempt resistance was idle, and 
could only eventuate in destruction ; with a mind unclouded by 
the peril that surrounded him, he sought and. procured his safety 
through stratagem. Calling to a group of soldiers who were 
near, he demanded where their regiment was ; lost themselves, 
they were unable to answer : but taking him for one of their 
own officers, they followed, as they were ordered, to his own 
line, where they were made prisoners. 

The 7th regiment, commanded by Major Piere, and the 44th, 
under Major Baker, aided by Major Butler, gallantly maintained 
the conflict — forced the enemy from every secure position he 
attempted to occupy, and drove him a mile from the first point 
of attack. Confiding in themselves, and their general, who 
M^as constantly with them, exposed to danger, and in the thickest 
of the fight, inspired by his ardour, and encouraging by his ex- 
ample, they advanced to the conflict, nor evinced a disposition 
to leave it, until the jirudence of their commander directed them 
to retire. 
•0^f®C?/ ^^^^ ^^^^' ^'iolence of the assault already 
— =£^=^^-^ — — made, the fears of the British had l)een 
greatly excited ; to keep their apprehensions 
alive was considered important, with a view 
partially to destroy the overweening confi- 
dence ■N^-ith which they had arrived, and 
compel them to act, for a time, upon the de- 
fensive. To effect this. General Coffee, with his brigade, was 
ordered down on the 24th, to unite with Colonel Hinds, and 
make a show in the rear of Lacoste's plantation. The enemy, 
not yet recovered of the panic produced by the first assault, 
already believed it was in contemplation to urge another attacli:, 
and immediately formed to repel it; but Coflee having suc- 
ceeded in recovering some of his horses, wdiich ^vel•e wandering 
along the sides of the swamp ; and in regaining part of tlie 
clothing his troops had lost, returned to the line, leaving to be 
conjectured the objects of his movement. 




476 BRITISH ACCOUNT OF THE 23d OF DECEMBER. 

An English vrriter gives the following interesting account of the 
action of the 23d of Decemljer ; — " AVhen the shades of evening 
fell, the fires were made to blaze more brightly ; supper was 
despatched, and the men prepared themselves for rest; Imt a little 
before eight o'clock the attention of some was drawn to a large ves- 
sel, which seemed to be stealing up the river, till she came op- 
posite to the British station, when her anchor was dropped, and her 
sails leisurely furled. Various were the opinions entertained of 
this stranger. She was hailed, but no answer was returned. All 
idea of sleep, however, was now laid aside, and several musket 
shots were fired, of which not the slightest notice was taken. 
At length, all her sails beino^ fastened, and her broadside swunsT 
toward the camp, a voice was distinctly heard exclaiming, ' Give 
them this for the honour of America.' The flashes of her guns 
instantly followed, and a shower of grape shot swept down numbers 
of the British troops. An incessant cannonade was then kept 
up, which could not be silenced, as our troops had no artillery, 
and the few rockets that were discharged deviated so much from 
their object, as to afford only amusement for the enemy. Under 
these circumstances, therefore, all were ordered to leave the fires, 
and shelter themselves under the dikes, where they lay, each as 
he could find room, listening in painful silence to the iron had 
among the huts, and to the shrieks and groans of those that were 
wounded. 

" The niglit was dark as pitch ; the fires were all extinguished, 
and not an object was visible, except from the momentary flashes 
of the guns, when a straggling fire called attention toward the 
pickets, as if some more dreadful scene was about to open : nor 
was it long before suspense was cut short by a tremendous yell, 
and a semicircular blaze of musketry, which showed that the 
position was surrounded by a superior force ; and that no alterna- 
tive remained, but to surrender, or to drive back the assailants. 
The first of these plans was instantly rejected ; for the troops, 
rushing from their lurking places, and dashing through their 
bivouac, under heavy discharges from the vessel, lost not a 
moment in attacking the foe, without the slightest attention to 
order, or the rules of disciplined warfare : the combat, which 
was left to individual valour and skill, lasted till three in the 



BRITISH ACCOUNT OF THE 23d OF DECEMBER. 477 

morning" ; and tliougli the enemy was linally repulsed, no less 
than five hundred of our finest troops and best officers were left 
on the field : the rest then retired to their former lurking places, 
to be out of reach of their enemy on the river ; which, when 
daylight appeared, was discovered to be a fine schooner of 
eighteen guns, crowded with men. In the cold dikes, however, 
they were compelled to remain the whole ensuing day, without 
fire and without food ; for whenever the smallest number began 
to steal away from shelter, the vessel opened her fire. 

" In the mean time, the remainder of the troops were disem- 
barking in haste to rejoin their comrades ; and as the schooner's 
guns were heard at the distance of at least twenty miles over the 
water, and in the silence of the night, the most strenuous exer- 
tions were made by the boats' crews : nor was a moment lost in 
returning to the island ; so that the whole army was brought 
into position before dark on the 24th ; but the advanced brigade 
was still fettered to the bank, while another large ship now cast 
anchor about a mile from their annoying enemy : as soon, how- 
ever, as darkness had set in, a change of position was effected, 
and the division was stationed in the village of huts : the front 
of the army being then covered by a strong chain of outposts, 
they remained quiet during the night ; and next day General 
Keene was relieved from further care and responsibility by the 
unexpected arrival of Sir Edward Packenliam and General 
Gibbs ; the former of whom had been despatched from England, 
to take the chief command, as soon as the death of General Ross 
was known. The arrival of Packenham, adored as he was l)y 
the army, elicited the utmost enthusiasm ; and he had scarcely 
reached the camp, before he proceeded to examine, with a 
soldier's eye, every point of attack or defense. Of the American 
army nothing could be seen but a corps of five hundred mounted 
riflemen, hovering about the British front, and watching every 
motion ; the city Avas not in sight ; and no advance could be 
made, imtil the vessels on the river were disposed of: as delay 
was now dangerous, nine field-pieces, two howitzers, and a 
mortar were brought down to the bank as soon as it became 
dark ; a battery was quickly throAvn up against the schooner ; 
and at dawn, on the 26th, a heavy cannonade A\'as opened upon 



478 BRITISH ACCOUNT OF THE 23 D OF DECEMBER. 



lier with red-hot shot : nor was it long before her crew were seen 
hastening into their l3oats ; while the smoke first, and then the 
flames, began to rise from her decks ; and, in about an hour, slie 
blew up : the guns were then turned against the ship ; but not 
wishing to share the fate of her comrade, she set up every inch 
of canvas ; aiid being impelled both by sailing and towing, suc- 
ceeded in getting out of the range of shot. All apparent obstacles 
being now removed, the army advanced to a more forward posi- 
tion ; and arrangements were quietly made during the day till 
sunset : but from that period until near dawn the whole time 
w^as spent in wakefulness and alarm ; for the American riflemen 
harassed the pickets ; fired on the sentinels as w^ell as the officers 
who went the rounds ; and, disregarding all the usages of civil- 
ized warfare, thought only of diminishing the number of their 
enemies by picking off every individual wdiom they could reach. 
As soon as day began to break, they retired ; and our troops 
formed in two columns : the right, under General Gibbs, took 
post near the skirts of the morass, throwing out its skirmishers 
across the plain ; while the left, under Keene, drew up on the 
road near the river, and was covered by the rifle corps, which 
extended itself to meet the skirmishers of the right column : with 
this division went the artillery ; and at a given signal, the whole 
moved forward in high spirits, for about four or five miles, with- 
out the slightest check. At length they came in view of the 
American army, very advantageously posted behind a canal, 
wdiich ran from the morass to within a short distance of the road : 
along its line were formidable breastworks ; while on the road, 
and at various other points, were powerful batteries, aided by a 
large flotilla of gun-boats on the river, flanking the position. As 
the left column passed a few houses, built at a turning of the 
road, and which concealed the enemy from view, it was suddenly 
checked by a destructive fire from the battery and the shipping : 
scarcely a bullet passed over, or fell short of its mark; but 
striking full into the midst of the British ranks, made dreadful 
havoc : the houses also on the left, which had been purposely 
filled with combustibles, were now fired with red-hot shot ; so 
that, while whole ranks were mowed down by the artillery, the 
survivors were scorched by flames, or half suffocated with 



LOSS OF THE CAROLINE. 479 

smoke : the troops, however, were not long suffered to remain in 
this situation ; for, being ordered to quit the path, and form in 
the fields, the British artillery was brought up against that of the 
enemy; but being inferior both in number of guns and weiglit 
of metal, it w^as soon obliged to retire with great loss. The 
infantry, having formed in line, now advanced under a heavy 
discharge of round and grape-shot, till they were stopped by the 
canal, the depth of which could not be ascertained ; they were 
therefore ordered to take shelter in a wet ditch, sufficiently deep 
to cover the knees; where, leaning forward, they concealed 
themselves as well as they could behind some high rushes on its 
brink : in the mean time, the advance of the right column had 
been stopped by similar impediments ; and nothing seemed left 
but to withdraw the troops from their perilous situation : a party 
of courageous seamen were employed to remove the dismounted 
guns, which service they effected under the whole fire of the 
enemy ; and then regiment after regiment stole away, amid dis- 
charges similar to those which saluted their approach ; retiring 
to a position in the plain, about two miles from the enemy's 
works, and in full sight of their army." 

The action of the 23d saved Louisiana ; for had the enemy not 
been attacked with such impetuosity, when they had scarcely 
effected their disembarkation, they would either that night or the 
next morning, have marched against the city, which, in its then 
defenseless condition, with about five thousand men, mostly 
militia, must inevitably have fallen. 

The three following days were occupied in erecting fortifica- 
tions, and reconnoitering the enemy's positions. Early on the 
27th, a battery of twelve and eighteen-pounders opened upon the 
American schooner Caroline, and in about fifteen minutes set her 
on fire. She was abandoned by her crew, and soon after blew 
up. The guns were then directed against the Louisiana, but 
without causing any damage. In the evening the British land 
forces drove back the American advance guards, and took 
possession of Bicnvenu's and Chalmette's plantations. All the 
buildings on the latter were blown up by order of General Jack- 
son. The British slowly continued their march, advancing in 
columns, ]5recedcd by several pieces of artillcr}^, some playing 



480 



THE ENEMY S ARTILLERY SILENCED. 




Fortifying of New Orleans. 

on the Louisiana, and others on the American intrenchments. 
The Louisiana suffered the cohimns to advance a considerable 
space, and then opened on them a tremendous and well-directed 
fire. The exami)le was followed by the land troops, and the 
enemy's artillery silenced. So excellent was the Louisiana's 
position, tliat on one occasion a single ball from her killed fifteen 
men. Her fire finally ])roke the columns, forcing them back to 
the plantations, where they covered themselves by some JDuildings 
on Bienvenu's field. They also abandoned several batteries 
estal)lished on the river the preceding night. Their loss was 
between two and three hundred men ; that of the Americans, 
seven killed and ten w^ounded. 

At this time the British regular troops numbered about ten 
thousand men. General Gibbs's division had landed, and Sir 
Edvv^ard Packenham had taken command of the army, with his 
head-quarters at General Villery's house. 

Some skirmishing took place on the 31st, and a cannonade 
was kept up between the Louisiana and some batteries until 
afternoon. During the night, the enemy erected two batteries 
at the distance of six hundred yards from the American lines, 
and about half that distance from the river bank. 

On tlio morning of January 1st, 1815, a thick fog covered the 



ARRIVAL OF REINFORCE PI ENTS. 481 



ground until eight o'clock. At this time the Britisli opened a 
brisk fire from three batteries, mounting in all eighteen large 
guns. A shower of congreve rockets accompanied the balls, 
continuing with unprecedented activity lor fifteen minutes. 
This was answered by a steady fire from the American lines, 
and in less than an hour tliat of the enemy slackened. The 
head-quarters of General Jackson were destroyed, and himself 
and staff narrowly escaped being shot. Two gun carriages 
were also destroyed, and two artillery caissons blown up. At 
ten o'clock, some platoons of sharp shooters penetrated into the 
neighbouring woods in order to reconnoiter the American left ; 
but they were promptly met by General Coffee's brigade and 
driven back. 

The enemy's fire continued to slacken until noon, and at one 
o'clocls: the two batteries on the right were abandoned. The 
other threw a few balls and rockets, until three p. m. when it 
also ceased. Deep silence then ensued, and the assailants retired 
to their camp, after a most active service of ten hours. The 
Americans lost during the day, thirty-four in killed and wounded. 

On the 4th two thousand two hundred and fifty Kentucky 
militia arrived in the city, under Major-General Thomas. These 
troops being almost entirely destitute of decent clothing, were 
supplied by the legislature of Louisiana and the subscription 
of private individuals. On the 6th, Sailing-Master Johnson 
burnt a British brig, loaded with rum and biscuit, capturing 
ten prisoners. The same day an unusual stir was observed 
among the enemy, who covered the banks of Villery's canal, 
dragging boats, inspecting arms, marching and exercising. At 
the same time the Americans erected a small redoubt of two 
six-pounders, commanding the river bank and front of the line. 

General Jackson had now eight distinct batteries constructed, 
mounting in all twelve guns, of different calibre, the largest 
however, being a thirty-two-pounder, under command of Lieu- 
tenant Crawley, late of the Caroline. The works were one 
mile in extent, from the river to the Cypress swamp, and termi- 
nated in a bend to the left of about two hundred yards. On the 
right of these works were stationed the 7th regiment, IMnjor 
Plauche, Major Lacoste, and Major Daquin's battalions, and the 

2S 61 



482 BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS. 

44th regiment, amounting in all to thirteen hundred and eighty- 
nine men, and commanded by Colonel Ross of the 44th ; the 
centre was composed of General Carroll's, and part of General 
Adair's division, and amounted to sixteen hundred men; on the 
left was stationed the command of General Coffee, whose bri- 
gade consisted of five hundred men ; so that the whole line was 
defended by three thousand four liundred and eighty-nine men. 
On the opposite side, the works erected by General Morgan 
were defended by two hundred and seventy-six of the Louisiana 
contingent, one hundred and seventy-six of the 2d, or Colonel 
Cavalier's regiment, and the 1st and part of the 6th, comprising 
one hundred and ten, under Colonel Degian, the whole amount- 
ing to five hundred and forty-six men. To these were added, 
on the night of the 27th, a reinforcement of five hundred men, 
from General Adair's Kentucky militia, under Colonel Davis. 
Commodore Patterson erected further batteries on the same side 
of the river, to annoy the approach of the enemy, if he should 
attempt it, along the levee on the right bank of the river, and in 
the line which covered General Morgan's troops were planted 
one twelve-pounder, and two l)rass sixes. 

During the whole night of the 7th, busy sounds of prepara- 
tion were heard in the enemy's camp ; and before daylight next 
morning, the American outposts entered camp, and announced 
that the enemy w^ere approaching in great force. At da\\n the 
news was confirmed; rows of glittering troops, and deep 
columns of infantry, stretched from the wood to the river, 
covering the whole field, and presenting a scene of terrible 
grandeur rarely witnessed in America. A rocket discharged 
from the wood toward the river was the signal for assault. The 
troops gave three cheers, and swept along in close column, with 
fascines and scaling-ladders. Clouds of rockets preceded them, 
and continued to fall during the whole attack. Three batteries 
now opened a tremendous fire upon them, but they still rushed 
on, until witliin reach of the Tennessee and Kentucky rifles, 
Avhich, ioined with the fire of artillery, mowed them down by 
companies. The rapid discharges now resembled rattling peals 
of thunder, and, notwithstanding the utmost exertions of the 
British officers, their columns faltered. They were then marched 



BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS. 



483 




Battle of New Orleans. 



obliquely, but this rendered the slaughter greater ; the files be- 
came mixed and broken, the whole column broke, and many of 
the troops ran to shelter themselves among the neiglibouring 
bushes. The remainder retired to the ditch, where they had 
been Avhen first perceived. At this place, the officers succeeded 
with much difficulty in rallying their troops, and drew them up 
for a second attack. In order to be less encumbered, their knap- 
sacks were laid at the edge of the ditch. The rear was also 
brought up as a reinforcement. 

This assault was received with the same steady fire that had 
repulsed the first. The British, however, advanced much nearer 
than before ; but were driven back in the utmost confusion, and 
in defiance of all the exertions of the officers, did not stop their 
flis'ht, until without the reach of damper. 

In the commencement of the attack, the honourable Sir Ed- 
ward Packenham fell a victim to his own intrepidity, while 
endeavouring to animate his troops. The command tiien de- 
volved on General Gibbs, who was also mortally wounded ; Ge- 
neral Keene was borne from the field, dangerously ^v•ounded. 
Many other distinguished officers fell, and the track of the 
column was marked with piles of the dead and dying. The 



484 ACTION ON THE MISSISSIPPI. 

officers found it impossible to form the troops a third time, and 
they passed the remainder of the day near the ditch. 

Some of the enemy's troops had advanced into the wood, 
either to make a false attack or to ascertain if a real one were 
practicahle. Tliey were speedily driven back by General Cof- 
fee's rifles. During the attack on the left, a column had also ad- 
vanced on the right, drove in the American outposts, and entered 
an unfinished redoubt. The small garrison were cither killed 
or captured, and the British remained masters of the fort. Here, 
however, they were attacked by Colonel Renee's riflemen, cut 
to pieces, and the advancing column completely foiled. The 
British batteries, which had kept up a continual fire during the 
charge, were all silenced. 

During the main assault upon General Jackson's position, a 
second attack was made on the right bank of the Mississippi, 
against about eight hundred Louisiana militia, under General 
Morgan. The enemy crossed at daybreak, attacking and driving 
back about one hundred men sent to oppose them. It had been 
their intention to assault Morgan's position simultaneously with. 
the commencement of the main action ; but in this they were 
disappointed by being carried a great distance by the current. 
A small number of Americans, under Colonel Davis, who had 
just arrived from Jackson's position, and were hungry, cold, and 
exhausted, were sent to op])ose the British. After a spirited 
resistance they were driven back. The victors then pushed 
rapidly against the left of General Morgan's defenses ; but re- 
ceived so heavy a fire of artillery and musketry, as obliged them 
to give ground. They then attacked the right and centre, turned 
Colonel Davis's detachment, routed the Kentucky militia, and 
entered the works. They then attacked and carried the left. 
The defeat of the main army, under Packenham, rendered it use- 
less for the British to pursue this advantage, and the detachment 
returned to their boats. 

The loss of the British in the attack on General Jackson's 
position, was two hundred and ninety-three killed, twelve hun 
dred and sixty-seven wounded, and four hundred and eighty-four 
missing. Almost all their valuable officers were killed or 
wounded. General Jackson had but six men killed, and seven 



BOMBARDMENT OF FORT S T. F H I L I P. 



485 




wounded ; but the action with General Morgan swelled the total 

loss to about five hundred. 

N the following day, the 9th, 
Admiral Cochrane directed 
two bomb vessels, one sloop 
of war, a brig, and a schooner, 
to station themselves before 
Fort St. Philip, with a view 
to its bombardment and de- 
struction. On that day they 
commenced an attack, and 
continued throwing shells into 
the fort until the 17th in the 
evening, when the command- 



ant, Major Overton, opened a 

heavy mortar, (not until then 

in readiness,) and threw the 

line of ships into such disorder, that on the morning of the 18th, 

they retired to the anchorage of the fleet. 

The expedition which had been thus extensively planned in 
England, and for the fitting out of which an immense treasure 
had been exhausted, was thus resisted, and entirely destroyed, 
by the valour and perseverance of a small army, principally made 
up of volunteers and militia, and commanded by a general, whose 
military career, though brilliant and almost unparalleled, was 
commenced but two years before. The slaughter which attended 
this repulse of the invading army was on their side never sur- 
passed at any other battle. Besides their generals and other 
officers of high rank, the British lost in killed, wounded, and 
missing, about four thousand men. The American, killed, 
wounded, and missing, did not exceed five hundred. 

The British fleet, however, continued in the neighbourhood, 
and on the 10th of February, General Lambert having landed 
near Fort Bowyer, with a large body of his troops, demanded 
of Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence the surrender of the garrison. 
In its rear an extensive and heavy battery had been planted, and 
the powerful force by which it was surrounded, made it expe- 
dient that the fort should capitulate on honourable terms, or that 

s 2 



486 



CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES. 



the garrison should submit to the sword. Colonel Lawrence 
chose that line of conduct which propriety and humanity dic- 
tated, and the enemy took possession of the fort. 

On the same day the British sloop of w^ar Brazen arrived off 
the station, with intelligence that a treaty of peace had been con- 
cluded upon between the American and British ambassadors at 
Ghent, wdiich had met the approbation of the prince regent of 
England. Not long after General Jackson was apprized, by the 
secretary of war, of the ratification of the treaty by the president 
and senate, and all hostilities immediately ceased. A regular 
and mutual exchange of prisoners was entered upon, and the 
volunteers and militia were honourably discharged, and sent to 
their homes, with the gratitude and applause of their country. 




NAVAL CAMPAIGN. 



4S7 




CHAPTER XXIIL 

VERY attempt to escape 
from the blockade of the fri- 
gates United States and Ma- 
cedonian, and the sloop of war 
Hornet, at New London, hav- 
ing failed, until the only sea- 
son at which they conld 
possibly escape had elapsed, 
the Hornet was ordered to 
remain at her station as a 
guard ship, whilst the frigates 
were to be moved up New 
London river to the head of 
navigation for heavy vessels, 
and there to be dismantled. Commodore Decatur and the crew 
of the United States were transferred to the fricrate President, 
then moored at New York. In the course of the winter, a cruise 




488 PRESIDENT AND ENDYMION. 



to the East Indies was determined on, at the navy department, 
to be performed by a squadron, consisting of that frigate, the 
sloop of war Peacock, then also at New York, the sloop of war 
Hornet, and the Tom Bowline, a merchant vessel, bought into 
the service as a store ship. The Hornet was, therefore, directed 
to proceed to the same harbour. 

On the night of the ISth of November Captain Biddle passed 
the blockading squadron without being discovered, and joined 
Commodore Decatur, at New York. That port had been also 
constantly l)lockaded, and several frigates, sloops of war, and a 
razee, were at tliat time cruising off the hook. 

On the 14th of January, Commodore Decatur thinking it more 
likely to get to sea wdth the President singly, directed Captain 
Warrington to follow him with the Peacock and Hornet as 
soon as the Tom Bowline was in readiness, and having assigned 
the island of Tristun d'Acunha, as the first place of rendezvous, 
proceeded to the bay, with a view of escaping from Sandy Hook 
in the night. In consequence of the negligence of the pilot, the 
President struck upon the bar, and remained there thumping, 
upwards of two hours. This accident caused her ballast to 
shift, and, when extricated from this situation by the rise of the 
tide, it was discovered that she had entirely lost her trim. The 
course of the wind forbidding her return to port, the commodore 
determined, nevertheless, upon running out to sea, and did not 
doul^t but she would soon recover that ease in sailing for which 
she had Ijeen long celebrated. At daylight he fell in with the 
British scjuadron, composed of the Majestic, (razee,) the frigates 
Endymion, Tenedos, and Pomone, and the despatch brig, which 
immediately gave chase. The President was lightened as much 
as possil)le, but the superior sailing of the enemy's ships, enabled 
them to gain rapidly upon her, and the leading frigate, the En- 
dymion, of forty-nine guns, and mounting twenty-four-pounders 
on her gun deck, got close under her quarters and commenced 
firing. 

Commodore Decatur, finding that the Endymion was cutting 
up his rigging, without his being able 1o annoy her, determined 
to bear up and engage, and if possible to run her on board, and 
in the event of carrving her, to sail off and abandon the Presi- 



PRESIDENT AND ENDYMTON. 489 

dent. But the enemy manoeuvered to avoid tliis plan, and the 
conflict continued two hours, and ended in silencing and beating 
off the Endymion, with her hull and rigging much cut up, her 
masts and spars badly injured, and a great proportion of her 
crew killed and wounded. The President was also considerably 
damaged, and lost twenty-five men killed, and sixty wounded ; 
among the former, Lieutenants Babbit and Hamilton, and Acting 
Lieutenant Howel ; among the latter, the commodore, and Mid- 
shipman Dale, who lost a leg, and died of his wounds at Bermuda. 

By this time the rest of the squadron came within two miles 
of the President. The Endymion had hauled off to repair, and 
Commodore Decatur made another effort to escape. But in three 
hours, the Pomone and Tenedos lay along-side, and the Majestic 
and Endymion were Avithin a short distance of him. The gal- 
lant commodore, not choosing to sacrifice the lives of his crew 
in a useless contest with a squadron of ships mounting not less 
than one hundred and ten guns, received the fire of the nearest 
frigate, and surrendered. He was taken on board the Endymion, 
to whose commander he refused to deliver his sword when 
required, alleging that if they had been singly engaged, that 
officer would inevitably have been captured, and that he had 
struck to the whole squadron. The enemy, however, asserted 
tliat the President had been conquered by the Endymion alone; 
that the damage was sustained in a storm which rose up after 
the battle ; and having repaired both vessels, sent the prize from 
Bermuda to England under her convoy. There she was light- 
ened and laid in doclv along-side an old seventy-four, which was 
deeply laden, to give her a smaller appearance in the water than 
the President. 

The United States frigate Constitution, which had been some 
time repairing at Boston for a cruise, sailed from that port on 
the 17tli of December, still under the command of Captain 
Stewart. After cruising in various parts of the ocean, and in 
the trade for outward and homeward bound convoys, until the 
20th of February, she fell in with two strange men-of-war sail, 
at ten minutes past one, p. m., on that day. One of these being 
to windward, was bearing up for the Constitution, and at 2"- 30™- 
displaj^ed signals and squared away to the westward 1o join her 



63 



490 CYANE AND LEVANT. 



consort. The Constitution set every rag in chase, and a few 
minntes Ijclbre three commenced firing from her for\vard guns 
on the <'-an declc. At 3"- IfV"- the main royal-mast of the Con- 
stitution Avas carried away, and enabled the enemy's vessels to 
distance her fire. Before five a new royal-mast was completed, 
and a little vhile after the breeze freshened, and the ship to 
leeward taclvcd to the southward under all sail. At six the two 
ships liauled to on the larboard tack, in line, and in ten minutes 
the Constitution ranged ahead of the sternmost, brought her on 
the quarter, her consort on the bow, at two hundred yards 
distance, and opened a broadside, which was immediately 
returned. 

An exchange of l^roadsides continued until the three ships 
were completely enveloped in smoke, upon the clearing away 
of which the Constitution found herself abreast of the head- 
most ship, and Captain Stewart ordered both sides to be manned, 
backed topsails, and dropped into his first position. The ships 
on the bow baclved sails also. The Constitution's broadsides 
were then fired from the larboard battery, and in a few minutes 
the ship on the bow perceiving her error in getting stemboard, 
filled away with an intention of tacldng athwart the bows of 
the Constitution, and the ship on the stern fell off, perfectly 
unmanageable. The Constitution then filled away, in full 
pursuit of the former, came within one hundred yards of her, 
and o-ave her several raking- broadsides. She made all sail 
before the wind, with a view to escape, and Captain Stewart 
knowing her crippled situation would enable him to overhaul 
her at any time after securing her consort, wore round, and 
ranged along-side the latter ship, from which a gun was fired to 
leeward to signify that she had surrendered. Possession was 
then taken, by Lieutenant Hoffman, of his Britannic majesty's 
frigate Cyane, Captain Gordon Falkon, of thirty-four guns, 
thirty-two-pound carronades. Her commander and officers being 
brought on board, Captain Stewart sailed in chase of the other 
vessel, and in a short time discovered her, standing for him on 
the weather bow. 

In a few minutes the enemy fired a broadside, which being 
instantly returned, he tacked ship, made all sail, and at that 



59 



THE LEVANT CAPTURED. 491 

moment received a rake from l]ie starboard Ijroadsido of tlie 
Constitution. Upon gaining his wake, Captain Stewart opened 
a fire frorji his gun deck chase guns with such eifect that the 
enemy hove to(^ and surrendered, willi live feet water in his 
hold, his masts tottering, and nothing but the smoothness of the 
sea preventing them from going overboard. Lieutenant Ballard 
was sent on board, and took possession of his Britannic majesty's 
ship Levant, Captain Douglass, of eighteen thirty-two-pound 
carronades, and two large twelve-pounders. 

The loss on board the Cyane and Levant amounted to forty 
men killed, and nearly double that number wounded ; on board 
the Constitution, where no other spar was lost than the Ibre top 
gallant yard, four men were killed and eleven wounded. On 
the 10th of March Captain Stewart entered the harbour of Port 
Pray a with his prizes, and on the 11th a British squadron, 
consisting of the Leander, Sir George Collier, the Newcastle, 
Lord George Stewart, neither of them carrying less than sixty 
guns, and the frigate Acasta, Captain Kerr, of forty-four guns, 
which had sailed from the eastern coast of the United States, in 
quest of the Constitution, appeared off its entrance. Captain 
Stew^art immediately made sail, escaped from the harbour 
with his squadron, and was closely pursued by the enemy's 
three ships. After a long and perilous chase, the Constitution 
and Cyane escaped their pursuers, and arrived safely in the 
United States, but the Levant, after whom all sail was made by 
the enemy's ships, ran into Port Praya, with a heavy fire of 
broadsides from the Leander and Newcastle, to put herself under 
the protection of the neutral port. The neutrality of the Portu- 
guese was not regarded by the British squadron, however, and 
they recaptured the Levant, and carried her into Barbadoes. 

A few days after the departure of the President from New 
York, the Peacock, Hornet, and Tom Bowline left that harliour 
without knowing of her capture. On the third after sailing from 
Sandy Hook, (the 23d of January,) the Hornet parted company 
with the Peacock and Tom Bowline, and directed her course 
towards the island of Tristan d'Acunha, the first designated 
rendezvous for the squadron. On the 23d of March she descried 
the British brig Penguin, Captain Dickenson, of eighteen guns, 



492 . nORNETANDPENGUIN. 

and a twelve-pound carronade, to the southward and eastward 
of the' island. This vessel had been fitted out, and twelve super- 
numerary marines put on board, A^ith whom lier crew amounted 
to one hundred and thirty-two men, to cruise for the American 
privateer Youno- Wasp. 

Captain Biddlc immediately made sail, cleared the island, and 
hove to, until the Penguin, at the same time coming down, 
should he within striking distance. At forty minutes past one, 
p. i\i., the Penguin hauled her wind on the starboard tack, 
hoisted English colours, and fired a gun at musket-shot distance. 
The Hornet immediately luffed to, sent up an ensign, and gave 
the enemy a broadside. A constant fire Avas kept up for fifteen 
minutes, the Penguin all that time gradually nearing upon the 
Hornet, when Captain Dickenson gave orders to run her on board, 
and was killed by a grape-shot before he saw them executed. 
Lieutenant McDonald, upon wdiom the command of the Pen- 
guin then devolved, bore her up, and running her bowsprit in 
between the main and mizzen rigging of the Hornet, ordered his 
crew to board. His men, however, seeing the Hornet's boarders 
not only ready to repel them, but waiting for orders to jump 
upon the Penguin's deck, refused to follow him. At that moment 
the heavy swell of the sea lifted the Hornet ahead, and the 
enemy's bowsprit carried away her mizzen shrouds and spanker 
boom, and tlie Penguin hung upon the Hornet's quarter-deck, 
with the loss of her foremast and bowsprit. Her connnander 
then called out that he had surrendered. Though he was not 
distinctly understood. Captain Riddle ordered his marines to 
cease firing, and demanded of the Penguin whether she had 
struck. An ofiicer of the Hornet discovered a man taking aim 
at Captain Biddle, after the surrender, and called to him to avoid 
the fire. He had scarcely done so, when a musket ball struck 
the captain in the neck, severely w^ounding him, and passino- 
through his coat collar. Two marines, to whom the man was 
pointed out, who had discharged his piece at their commander, 
immediately fired at and killed him before he brought it from 
his shoidder. The Penguin just then got clear of the Hornet, 
and the latter wore round to give the enemy a fresh brpadside, 
when her commander called out a second time that he had sur- 

2R 



CAPTURE OF THE PENGUIN. 



495 




Escape of the Hornet. 



rendered. The severest, exercise of anthoritj became necessary 
to prevent the Hornet's crew, who were incensed at the enemy's 
firing after he had struck, from discharging the broadside. 
Twenty-two minutes after the commencement of the action, she 
was taken possession of by Mr. Mayo, of the Hornet. The 
Penguin was so much injured, that Captain Biddle determined 
upon taking out her crew and scuttUng her — after doing which, 
he sent his prisoners to St. Salvador in the Tom Bowline, by 
which vessel and the Peacock he was joined on the 25th of the 
month. In this action the Penguin lost fourteen men killed, 
and twenty-eight wounded ; the Hornet, one killed, and eleven 
wounded ; among the latter, her first lieutenant, Conner, dan- 
gerously. 

Having bent a new suit of sails, and repaired his rigging, 
Captain Biddle was in a perfect condition to prosecute the 
cruise, and, together with the Peacock, after waiting the full 
time for Commodore Decatur at the island of Tristan d'Acunha, 
sailed on the l'2th of April for the Cape of Good Hope. On the 
27th they discovered a British ship of the line, with an admiral's 
flag. The Peacoclv and Hornet immediately separated, and 
made all sail in different directions from the stranger, who came 
up in pursuit of the latter. The chase commenced at about two 
o'clock of the 27th, and continued until ten in the morning of the 



496 RESULT OF THE NAVAL WAR. 

30th, during which time the enemy's how guns were continually 
fired — his vessel frequently gained upon, and Avas as often 
dropped by the Hornet; and Captain Biddle, after tlirowing 
overboard every heavy article at hand, and all his guns Ijut one, 
at length effected his escape, and went to St. Salvador for the 
purpose of reiitting. On his arrival there, he gained intelligence 
of the conclusion of hostilities between the two nations, and soon 
after sailing thence, returned to the United States about the 
latter end of July, and was promoted to the rank of post captain. 

The capture of the Cyane, the Levant, and the Penguin, took 
place before the expiration of the time limited by the 2d article 
of the treaty of peace, to constitute their legality, and the only 
one of them wdiich got into port, the Cyane, was taken into the 
service of the United States. 

Thus terminated a war of two years and eight months, in 
which the naval arms of the United States were fifteen, and 
those of Great Britain four times triumphant; and during 
which the former lost three frigates, seven sloops, and five 
smaller vessels of war ; whilst the latter lost five frigates, nine- 
teen sloops of war, one of which was blown up by a land bat- 
tery, several gun-brigs and schooners, two brigs cut out from 
under the guns of a fort, and upwards of fifteen hundred mer- 
chantmen, captured by private armed vessels. The operations 
of the American armies were, at the commencement of the war, 
not quite so successful : — Defeat, disgrace, and disaster, in many 
instances, followed their movements; but the struggle was 
eventually closed by a succession of achievements, which re- 
flected the highest lustre upon the American name, and ranked 
the United States among- the first nations of the earth. 





2t2 



63 




Francis IIillisha"o. 



THE FIRST SEMINOLE WAR. 




T the commencement of tlie war of 1812, 
numbers of Indians in the southern states, 
dissatisfied witli the American government, 
retired into Florida, where, being counte- 
nanced by the Spanish authorities, they 
formed themselves into small bands for the 
purposes of plunder and aggression. In 
September, 1812, a settlement on the St. 
Johns river was attacked, and eight persons murdered : and 
soon after an escort, consisting of a captain and twenty men, 
was surprised by a considerable party, the captain and another 
man Ivilled, six wounded, and all their wagons carried into St. 
Augustine. Similar outrages were committed during the whole 
war, to an extent that kept several of the southern states in con- 
tinual alarm. 

When Colonel Nicholls was expelled from Pcr.-^ncola by Ge- 

(499J 



500 EXPLOSION OF THE ENEMY's FORT. 

neral Jackson, he went to Florida, and immediately commenced 
a refrular organization of the neo^roes and Indians. In order to 
strengthen this, lie visited England, accompanied by the dis- 
tinguished Seminole chief, Francis Hillishago, and concluded 
a treaty of friendship with that nation. Some time after 
leaving, he was .succeeded in the government by Ambrister and 
Arbuthnot. 

Things remained in this iinpropitious condition until 1817, 
wdien a small tract, called Amelia Island, was attacked by some 
adventurers, and the Spanish garrison expelled. It was then 
employed as a depot for smuggling goods. This lawless trade 
was carried on until December 22d, when by order of President 
Monroe, Captain Henley seized the island and drove away the 
outlaws. 

Previous to this, Colonel Clinch, with five hundred Indians 
and a number of United States troops, was sent against a fort 
erected by the savages on the Appal achicola. On the 10th of 
July, 1816, the army moved up the river in schooners and gun- 
boats. When near the fort, a watering party of seven men 
were attacked by Indians and negroes, five were killed, one 
escaped, and one captured, tortured, and put to death. The 
garrison numbered four hundred savages and negroes, who 
had twelve pieces of artillery. The colonel's gun-boats con- 
tained but a twelve-pounder, and twenty-five men each ; but 
although admonished of the enemy's force, he determined on 
an attack. He had scarcely commenced firing, when a hot 
shot struck the principal magazine, and the fort was blown 
up with a fearful explosion, carrying with it the shattered re- 
mains of two hinidred and seventy-three of the garrison. Only 
three of the remainder escaped unhurt. This event broke up a 
large horde of desperadoes, and terminated the war in that 
district. 

In the fall of 1817, the family of Mr. Garrett, in East Florida, 
was attacked during his absence from home, and his wife and 
two children butchered. Soon after a man named McKrimnon 
was captured, and tied to the stake preparatory to being burned. 
He was rescued only through the intercession of one Milly, 
daughter of the principal chief, Hillishago, who, like Poca- 



JACKSON ORDERED TO FORT SCOTT. 501 

hontas rushed toward her father, and implored him to spare 
the prisoner. Being subsequently ransomed, he married his 
deliverer. 

In November, General Gaines, commander in Florida, re- 
ceived orders from Washington, to open negotiations with the 
Creeks, in order to transport them to the country ceded by the 
United States government. This the Indians refused to do ; 
and when their chief, Hornetlimed, was summoned by the ge- 
neral to appear at the fort, he answered by a haughty defiance. 
Next day Major David E.Twiggs was sent against the fort with 
two hundred and fifty men. After repelling an attack on the 
road and killing several of the assailants, he reached the town 
and found it deserted. 

After this aftair, Gaines despatched Major Muhlenburg, 
from the head-qaarters at Fort Scott, to Mobile, with three 
vessels, for the purpose of obtaining provisions. Beside the 
crew, he had on board a number of volunteers with their wives 
and children. Sickness obliged him to halt on the Appalachicola, 
where he was soon reinforced by forty men, under Lieutenant 
Scott. The major detached half of the crew, for his own use, 
and placing seven women, four children, and his sick on board 
the lieutenant's boat, he sent him back to Fort Scott. When 
near Flint river, the party were attacked by some savages 
under Hornetlimed, and all were killed except six soldiers, who 
escaped, and one woman made prisoner. The scalps were 
taken to the red pole at Mickasuky village and added to the 
number already there. 

On receiving intelligence of this outrage, the secretary of war 
wrote to General Jackson, ordering him to repair immediately 
to Fort Scott and take charge of the war. Eight hundred men 
were given him, with authority to draw volunteers from the 
neighbouring states, should that number be insufficient for the 
campaign. 

This communication reached General Jackson January l'2th, 
1818. He then issued a proclamation to the Tennessee volun- 
teers, to join him in the coming campaign. This was eifectual, 
and a number were soon on their way to Fort Scott. On the 
9th of March, the o-eneral himself arrived there, havin<T mus- 



502 EXECUTION OF ARBUTHNOT AND AMBRISTER. 



terecl on the road more than one thousand militia, mostly from 
Georgia. Finding- the garrison very destitute of provisions, he 
determined to win supplies from the enemy, and on the 10th, 
pushed toward the Appalachicola. On the march he was joined 
by Cieneral Gaines, and built Fort Gadsden where the Indian 
fort liad stood that was blown U]i by Colonel Clinch. Continu- 
ing his march, he was joined on the 1st of April by the Ten- 
nessee men. The same da}^ he drove back a party of Indians, 
and took possession of their village. Numerous scalps were 
found strung upon the red war pole, and others in different 
■wigwams. 

About this time, a party numljering five hundred Indians 
and negroes surrounded the Spanish fort, St. Marks, and de- 
manded its surrender. This place was one of great importance, 
l)eing strongly Ijuilt, and having served formerly as the main 
depot of the Indians, and scene of all their councils. As the 
Spanish garrison was very weak, Jackson determined to an- 
ticipate the enemy, and accordingly marched to the fort and 
took possession without opposition, sending the garrison and 
autliorities to Pensacola. Here he captured the chiefs Hornet- 
limed and Hillishago, both of whom were hung. Arbuthnot 
was also captured. 

After garrisoning the captured station. General Jackson pro- 
ceeded against the Suwanee tow^ns, where he arrived April 16th. 
After a slight resistance in wdiich two Indians ^vere taken and 
eleven killed, the settlement was taken, the huts destroyed, and 
some provisions secured. Two days after, Ambrister was cap- 
tured. On the 2'2d a court of inquiry convened for the trial of 
this man and Arbutlniot, and, after six days' session, found them 
gidlty of inciting the Indians to aggression, and gave as their 
opinion that they were worthy of death. General Jackson sen- 
tenced Arbuthnot to be hung, and Ambrister to be shot. The 
sentence was executed on the 29th. On the same day the 
general returned to Fort Gadsden. 

Intelligence now arrived that the defeated Seminoles were 
mustering near Pensacola. It was also rumoured that they were 
assisted and encouraged by the Spanish garrison at that place. 
Although Spain ^^•as then at peace with the United States, Ge- 



B O M B A R D I\r E N T OF FORT BARRANCAS. 50J} 



neral Jackson resolved on marcliing into the territory, and cap- 
turing the garrrison at Pensacola. Accordingly he left Fort 
Gadsden on the 10th of May, at the head of tAvelve hundred 
men, and on the 2'2d arrived near Pensacola. On notifying the 
Spanish governor, he w^as ordered to quit the country. Disre- 
garding this, he entered the city on the 24th, and immediately 
commenced operations for assaulting Fort Barrancas, whither 
the governor with his small force had retired. A bombardment 
of this was kept up until the 27tli, when it surrendered, and 
the Spanish authorities were sent to Havana. Soon after Ge- 
neral Jackson took possession of the whole territory, garrisoned 
diiferent stations, and broke up all the Indian villages. He then 
retired to the Hermitage, in Tennessee, leaving the command 
with General Gaines, who, under his orders, speedily took pos- 
session of St. Augustine. 

President Monroe, in his message of November, 1S18, thus 
speaks of the condition of- affairs in Spanish Florida: 

"A state of things has existed in the Floridas, the tendency 
of which has been obvious to all who have paid the slightest 
attention to the progress of affairs in that quarter. Throughout 
the whole of tliose provinces to which the Spanish title extends, 
the government of Spain has scarcely been felt. Its authority 
has been confined almost exclusively to the walls of Pensacola 
and St. Augustine, within which only small garrisons have been 
maintained. Adventurers from every country, fugitives from 
justice, and absconding slaves, have found an asylum there. 
Several tribes of Indians, strong in the number of their warriors, 
remarkable for their ferocity, and whose settlements extend to 
our limits, inhabit tliose provinces. These different hordes of 
people, connected together, disregarding, on the one side, the 
authority of Spain, and protected by an imaginary line wliicli 
separates Florida from the United States, have violated our la\\s 
prohibiting the introduction of slaves, have practised various 
frauds on our revenue, and committed every kind of outrage on 
our peaceable citizens, which their proximity to us enabled them 
to perpetrate. The invasion of Amelia Island last year bj^ a 
small band of adventurers not exceeding one hiindred and fifty 
in number, who wrested it from the inconsiderable Spanish 



604 FLORIDA CEDED TO THE UNITED STATES. 



force stationed there, and held it several months, during which 
a single effort only was made to recover it, which failed, clearly 
proves how completely extinct the Spanish authority had be- 
come ; as the conduct of those adventurers while in possession 
of the island as distinctly shows the pernicious purposes for 
which their combination had been formed." 

The forcible occupation of a neutral territory, elicited much 
attention in the United States, and subjected General Jackson 
to much censure. The government promptly surrendered the 
captured posts to the Spanish crown, but did not think proper 
to call the general to account for his actions. The Seminole 
war was, however, ended for that time ; and the cession of Flo- 
rida to the United States in 1819, put an end to all difficulties 
with Spain. 




2U 



64 





Black Hawk. 



BLACK HAWK'S AYAR. 




|EW Indian chiefs have ehcited more 
respect for their admirable quahties, 
or more sympathy for their misfor- 
tunes and patriotic sufferings, than 
Black Hawk. This chief was the 
very personification of an Indian brave, 
and his capability of planning a great 
enterprise, executing it, and rallying 
around him the united efforts of his 
people was fully displayed during the war to which he has given 
a name. 

Black Hawk was born about the year 1767, on the Rock 
river, Illinois. At the age of fifteen he took a scalp iTom an 
enemy, and was in consequence promoted In' his tribe to the 
rank of a brave. Engaging soon afterwards in an expedition 
ao-ainst the Osaircs, he foug^ht several l)attlos, hio-hlv distinunishcd 



508 FORBEARANCE OF THE INDIANS. 

himself, and brought back a number of trophies. As a reward he 
was permitted to participate in a great scalp dance, held by his 
nation in commemoration of victory. His reputation being thus 
established, he frequently led w^ar parties against the enemies of 
his tribe, and was in almost every case successful. The injfiuence 
and military knowledge which he thus acquired, were fitting 
him for a contest in which, though unfortunate, he was to ac- 
quire undying reputation. 

The treaty concluded in 1804, by Governor Harrison, with 
the Sacs and Foxes, by which the latter ceded their lands east 
of the Mississippi, was executed by a few chiefs, without the 
Icnowledge or consent of the nation. Although this gave rise to 
much dissatisfaction among the Indians, no act of serious op- 
position took place, until the United States government erected 
Fort Madison upon the Mississippi. This at once revived their 
jealousies and an attempt w^as made to cut off the garrison. 
From that time the Avhites regarded the Indians as enemies, and 
were hy no means scrupulous in their dealing or intercourse 
with them. 

A short time previous to this, the admission of Illinois into 
the Union as a state had given a new cause for dispute. At- 
tracted by the fertile soil of that rich territory, emigrants from 
all parts poured into it, and in a short time the land occupied 
by the Sacs and Foxes was completely surrounded by white 
settlers. These soon began to commit outrages upon their red 
neighbours, in order to hasten their departure from the ceded 
territory. In 1S27, when the tribes were absent from home on 
a hunting excursion, some of the whites set fire to their village, 
by which forty houses were consumed. With commendable 
forbearance the Indians paid no apparent attention to this dis- 
honourable act, but quietly rebuilt their dwellings. They raised 
the fences which had been broken down, and saved as much of 
their corn as was possible. 

The American government now determined to sell the land 
occupied by these tribes, and they were accordingly advised to 
remove. Keokuk, the cliief, with a majority of the nation de- 
termined to do so; but Black Hawk, and a party which he had 
srained over to himself, resolved to remain at all hazards. 



COMMENCEMENT OF HOSTILITIES. 509 

Meanwhile the whites committed greater acts of violence npon 
the Indians than before. The latter at last took up arms, and a 
war would certainly have taken place, had not General Gaines, 
commander of the "western division of the army, hastened to the 
scene of action. This able and prudent officer immediately 
convened a council of the principal chiefs, in which it was 
agreed that the Indians should instantly remove. They accord- 
ingly crossed the river and settled on its western bank. Not- 
withstanding this measure, a majority of the Indians were on 
peaceful terms with the United States. But Black Hawk and 
his band determined on returning to Illinois, alleging that they 
had been invited by the Potawatamies, residing on Kock river, 
to spend the summer with them and plant corn on their lands. 
They recrossed the river, and marched toward the above named 
Indians, but without attempting to harm any one upon the road. 
The traveller passed by them without receiving any injury, and 
the inmates of the lowly hut experienced no outrage. There is 
little doubt but this amicable disposition would have contiiuied 
had not the whites been the fir.st to shed blood. Five or six 
Indians, in advance of the main party, were captured, and ex- 
cepting one who escaped, put to death by a battalion of mounted 
militia. That one brought the news to Black Hawk, who im- 
mediately determined on revenge. He accordingly planned an 
ambuscade into which the militia were enticed, tired upon, and 
fourteen of their number killed. The remainder fled in disorder. 

As war had now begun, the Indians seemed resolved to do all 
the mischief in their power. Accordingly they divided into small 
parties, proceeded in different directions, and fell upon the set- 
tlements which were at that time thinly scattered over the greater 
part of Illinois. By this means they committed such outrages 
that the whole state was in the greatest excitement. Governor 
Reynolds ordered out two thousand additional militia, who, on 
the 10th of June, assembled at Hennepin, on the Illinois river, 
and were soon engaged in pursuit of the Indians. 

On the 20th of May, 1832, a party attacked a small settlement 
on Indian Creek, killed fifteen persons, and took considerable 
plunder. On the 14th of June, five persons were killed near 
Galena. General Dodge being in the neighbourhood, imme- 

2c2 



510 THE CHOLERA AMONG THE TROOPS. 

diately marclied with his mounted men in pursuit of the enemy. 
After advancing about three miles, he discovered twelve 
Indians, whom he supposed to be part of those who committed 
the murders. He commenced an active pursuit, and drove the 
Indians into a swamp. The mounted men rushed in and soon 
met them. No resistance was made ; every Indian was killed, 
their scalps taken off and borne away in triumph. 

Meanwhile General Atkinson w^as pursuing the main party, 
under Black Hawk, who was encamped near the Four Lakes. 
Instead of crossing the country to retreat beyond the Mississippi 
as was expected, he descended the Wisconsin, to escape in tliat 
direction, by which means General Dodge came upon his track, 
and commenced a vigorous pursuit. On the 21st of July, the 
general, with about two hundred men, besides Indians, overtook 
liim on the Wisconsin, forty miles from Fort Winnebago. The 
Indians were in the act of crossing the river. After a short en- 
gagement they retreated, and it being dark the whites could not 
pursue them, without disadvantage to themselves. In this en- 
counter Black Hawk's party lost, as is supposed, about forty men. 

The Indians were now in a truly deplorable condition ; several 
of them were greatly emaciated for want of food, and some even 
starved to death. In the pursuit previous to the. battle, the 
soldiers found several lying dead on the road. Yet so far from 
being subdued they resolved to continue hostilities as long as 
they were able. 

Meanwhile an army under General Scott, destined for the 
subjugation of Black Hawk, and the removal of all the north- 
western Indians to lands beyond the Mississii)pi, had been 
attacked by an enemy far more fatal than the Indians. With 
about one thousand regular troops, Scott sailed from Buffalo in 
a fleet of steamboats, across Lake Erie for Chicago. This was 
early in July. On the 8th of that month, the Asiatic cholera 
appeared on board the vessel in which were General Scott, liis 
staff, and two hundred and twenty soldiers. In six days fifty- 
two men died, and soon after eighty were put on shore sick at 
Chicago. 

In the summer Scott left Chicago with but four hundred 
effective men, and hurrying on to the Mississippi, joined General 



BLACK HAWK CROSSES THE MISSISSIPPI. 511 




General Scott.' 



Atkinson at Prairie du Chien, immediately after the battle, near 
the Badare river, which resulted in the defeat of Black Hawk. 

Previous to this affair, a captured squaw had informed the 
whites that Black Hawk intended to proceed to the west side of 
the Mississippi, above Prairie du Chien — the horsemen striking 
across the country, whilst the others proceeded by the Wiscon- 
sin. A number of the latter were niade prisoners on the road. 

Meanwhile, several circumstances transpired to prevent the 
escape of the main body under Black Hawk. The first was his 
falling in with the Warrior steamboat, (August 1st,) when in the 
act of crossing the Mississippi. Wishing to escape, he displayed 
two white flags, and about one hundred and fifty of his men 
came to the river without arms and made signs of submission. 
The commander of the boat ordered his men to fire, which they 
did, and the fire was returned. The engagement lasted an hour, 
when the wood of the steamboat failing, it proceeded to the 
Prairie. The Indians lost twenty-three killed, and a number 
wounded ; the whites had one wounded. 



512 PEACE WITH THE SACS AND FOXES. 

Next day, after a toilsome and dangerous march, General 
Atkinson overtook Black Hawk, and immediately gave battle. 
Generals Posey and Alexander marched down the river with 
the right wing, and stationed themselves near the Indian encamp- 
ment, in order to prevent a retreat. The battle lasted about 
three hours, the Indians disputing the ground with the greatest 
obstinacy. Their loss in killed and wounded was about two 
hundred ; that of the Americans twenty-seven. 

This action terminated the war, for although Black Hawk 
escaped, yet his men continually deserted him and came over 
to the whites. Finally the warrior himself surrendered to the 
American agent at Prairie du Chien. In his speech on this 
occasion, he regretted his being obliged to close the war so soon, 
without having given the whites much more trouble. He as- 
serted that he had done nothing of which he had any reason to 
be ashamed, but that an Indian who was as bad as the white 
men would not be allowed to live in his community. He con- 
cluded as follows : 

" Farewell, my nation ! Black Hawk tried to save you, and 
revenge your wrongs. He drank the blood of some of the whites. 
He has been taken prisoner, and his plans are stopped. He can 
do no more. He is near his end. His sun is setting, and he 
will rise no more. Farewell to Black Hawk." 

Immediately after this battle, General Scott, as we have men- 
tioned, joined Atkinson, but their contemplated operations were 
for some weeks hindered by the dreadful scourge, which had 
already fearfully thinned the army. It was late in September, 
before the disease was driven from camp. Negotiations then 
commenced with the Sacs and Foxes, and were admirably con- 
ducted by General Scott, who obtained a region of five million 
acres from the Indians on terms satisfactory to both parties. 

At the return of peace. Black Hawk was taken to Washing- 
ton, where he had an interview with President Jackson. He 
was then conducted through the principal Atlantic cities, and 
every where received with the most marked attention and hos- 
pitality. He was then set at liberty and returned to his own 
nation. He died on the 3d of October, 1838, at his village on 
the Des Moines river. 




65 




Osceola. 



THE FLORIDA WAE. 




HILE Florida was a Spanish 
province, it was a refuge for 
disaffected savages, whence 
a system of aggression was 
carried on against the United 
. States. That, how^ever, 
M'hich is denominated hy 
way of pre-eminence the 
Florida war, began in 1835. A treaty had been concluded 
with the Seminole warriors, by which they agreed to relin- 
quish all the land for a certain sum, and to retire beyond tlie 
Mississippi. It was further stipulated that a party of Indians 
should visit the territory in question, and give their opinion con- 
cerning it. They accordingly proceeded thither, and on their 
return, reported very favourably of the country. 

515 



510 OUTRAGES COMMITTED. 

Every tiling now promised a speedy conformity to the wishes 
of the American government. But at this important moment, 
John Hext, one of the chief men of the tribe, who exerted over 
it a very great influence, died. This opportunity for self-ag- 
grandizement was seized by the celebrated Osoeola, or Powell, 
who quickly rose to the same importance as Hext himself. But 
he wielded it for far different purposes. He was utterly opposed 
to emigration, and by every art in his power, inflamed the minds 
of the people against that measure, and against the whites them- 
selves. His conduct became at length so violent that he was 
arrested by the Indian agent, and put in irons ; but on subse- 
quently professing to renounce, his opposition he w^as released. 

On the 19th of July, 1835, five Indians, who, for the purpose 
of hunting, had met by appointment, near Hogstown settlement, 
were attacked by a party of white men, and flogged with cow- 
hide wliips. While this was going on, two other Indians arrived, 
who raised the war-whoop and fired upon the whites. The firing 
w^as returned, one of the Indians killed and the other wounded. 
Three of the whites were also wounded. 

On the evening of August 6th, Dalton, the mail carrier from 
Camp King to Tampa Bay, was murdered by a party of red 
men. When news of this outrage reached General Thompson, 
the Indian agent, he convened the principal chiefs, who promised 
to bring the offenders to justice. This was not done ; and it 
soon became evident that a formidable opposition would in a 
little while burst forth against the settlers of Florida. The 
savages retired into the wilds and forests, collected arms, and 
avoided as much as possible all intercourse with the whites. 

In September, Charley Amathla, a friendly chief of great in- 
fluence, while journeying with his daughter was shot by some 
Mickasukies, led by Osceola. Similar outrages increased so 
fast, that the interior settlements were abandoned, families de- 
serted the products of many years' labour and fled to other states, 
and the commandant of the region. General Clinch, was obliged 
to call on the government for larger forces to resist the Indians. 
The o-eneral's force numbered but two hundred and fifty men ; 
and receiving no assistance from President Jackson, he obtained 
six hundred and fifty militia from the executive of Florida. 



DESTRUCTION OF DADES DETACHMENT. 517 

With this reinforcement he marched against the station on the 
Oiiithl^coochee river. 

On the 23cl of December, the companies of Captains Gardiner 
and Frazer, of the United States army, marched, under the com- 
mand of IMajor Dade, from Tampa Bay for Camp King. On 
the road, Dade wrote to Major Behon, urging him to forward a 
six-ponnder, which had been left four miles behind, in conse- 
quence of the failure of the team which was to have been used 
in transporting it. Three horses were purchased with the ne- 
cessary harness, and it joined the column that night. From this 
time no more was heard of the detachment until the 29th of De- 
cember, when John Thomas, one of the soldiers, returned, and 
on the 31st, Rawson Clarke. The melancholy fate of his com- 
panions was related by the latter as follo^vs : 

*' It was eight o'clock. Suddenly I heard a rifle shot in the 
direction of the advanced guard, and this was immediately {p\- 
lowed by a musket shot from that cjuarter. Captain Frazer had 
ridden by me a moment before, in that direction. I never saw 
him afterwards. I had not time to think of the meaning of these 
shots before a volley, as if from a thousand rifles, was poured in 
upon us from the front, and all along our left flank. I looked 
around me, and it seemed as if I was the only one left standing in 
the right wing. Neither could I, until several other volleys had 
been fired at us, see an enemy — and when I did I could only 
see their heads and arms peering out from the long grass, far 
and near, and from behind the pine trees. The ground seemed 
to me an open pine barren, entirely destitute of any hammock. 
On our right and a little to our rear was a large pond of water 
some distance off". All around us were heavy pine trees, very 
open, particularly towards the left, and abounding with long high 
grass. The first fire of the Indians was the most destructive, 
seemingly killing or disabling one half of our men. 

" We promptly threw ourselves behind trees, and opened a sharp 
fire of musketry. I for one, never fired without seeing my man, 
that is, his head and shoulders. The Indians chiefly fired 
lying or squatting in the grass. Lieutenant Bassinger fired five 
or six pounds of canister from the cannon. This appeared to 
frighten the Indians, and they retreated over a little hill to our 

2x 



518 DESTRUCTION OF DADE's DETACHMENT. 

left, one-lialf or tliree-quarters of a mile off, after having fired 
not more than twelve or fifteen rounds. We immediately began 
to fell trees, and erect a little triangular breastwork. Some of 
us went forward to gather the cartridge boxes from the dead, 
and to assist the wounded. I had seen Major Dade fall to the 
ground by the first volley, and his horse dashed into the midst 
of the enemy. Whilst gathering the cartridges, I saw Lieute- 
nant Mudge, sitting with his back reclining against a tree, and 
evidently dying. I spoke to him, but he did not answer. 
The interpreter, Louis, it is said, fell by the first fire.* 

" We had barely raised our breastwork knee-high, when we 
again saw the Indians advancing, in great numbers, over the hill to 
our left. They came on boldly till within long musket-shot, when 
they spread themselves from tree to tree to surround us. We 
immediately extended as light infantry, covering ourselves by 
the trees, and opening a brisk fire from cannon and musketry. 
I do not think that the former could have done much mischief, 
the Indians were so scattered. 

" Captain Gardiner, Lieutenant Bassinger, and Dr. Gatlen were 
the only officers left unhurt by the volley which killed Major 
Dade. Lieutenant Henderson had his left arm broken, but he 
continued to load and fire his musket, resting on the stump until 
he was finally shot down. Toward the close of the second 
attack, and during the day he kept up his spirits and cheered 
the men. Lieutenant Keyes had both his arms broken in the 
first attack ; they were bound up and slung in a handkerchief, 
and he sat for the remainder of the day, until he was killed, re- 
clining against the breastwork, his head often reposing upon it, 
regardless of every thing that was passing around him. 

" Our men were by degrees all cut down. We had maintained 
a steady fire from eight until two p. u., and allowing three- 
quarters of an hour interval between the first and second attack, 
had been pretty busily engaged for more than five hours. Lieu- 
tenant Bassinger was the only officer left alive, and he severely 
wounded. lie told me, as the Indians approached, to lie down 



*This individual merely feigned death, and on being found by the Indians, was 
spared, and read to tliem all the despatches and letters found about the dead. 




&^ 



DESTRUCTION OF DADES DETACHMENT. 521 



^'^^ 




Micanope. 

and feign myself dead. I looked tlirongh the logs and saw the 
savages approaching in great numbers. A heavy made Indian 
of middle stature, painted down to the waist, and whom I sup- 
posed to have been Micanope, seemed to be the chief He made 
them a speech, frequently pointing to the breastwork. At length 
they charged into the work. There was none to offer resistance, 
and they did not seem to suspect the wounded being alive — 
offering no indignity, but stepping about carefully, quietly 
stripping off our accoutrements, and carrying av/ay our arms. 
They then retired in a body, in the direction from whence they 
came. 

''Immediately after their retreat, forty or fifty negroes and In- 
dians on horseback, galloped up, alighted, and having tied their 
beasts, commenced, wdth horrid shouts and yells, the butchering 
of the wounded, together with an indiscriminate plunder, strip- 
ping the dead of clothing, watches, and money, and splitting open 
the heads of all who showed the least si<rns of life with their 
axes and knives. This bloody work Avas accompanied with 
obscene and taunting derision, and oft repeated shouts. 



2x2 



66 



522 



DESTRUCTION OF DADES DETACHMENT. 




lEUTENANT BASSINGER, 

hearing the negroes and Indians 
butchering the wounded, at 
length sprang up, and 
asked them to spare his 
Kfe. They met him with 
the blows of their axes, 
and their Ilendish laughter. 
Having 1)eeti wounded in 
hve ditlerent places myself, 
I Avas pretty well cover- 
ed ^^•ith blood; and two 
scratches that I liad re- 
ceived on the head gave me the appearance of having been shot 
through the brain : for the negroes, after catching me u]i by the 
heels, threw me down, exclaiming that I was dead enough. 
Then, stripping me of my clothes, shoes, and hat, they left me. 
After serving all the dead in this manner they trundled off the 
cannon in the direction the Indians had gone, and went away. 
I saw them shoot down the oxen in their gear and burn the 
wagon. 

" One of the other soldiers who escaped, says they threw the 
cannon in a pond, and burned its carriage also. Shortly after 
the negroes went away, one Wilson, of Captain Gardiner's com- 
pany, crept from under some of the dead bodies, and seemed to 
be hardly hurt at all. He asked me to go with him back to the 
fort, and I was going to follow him, when, as he jumped over 
the breastwork, an Indian sprang from behind a tree and shot 
him down. I then lay quiet until nine o'clock that night, when 
D. Long, the only living soul beside myself, and I started upon 
our journey. We knew it was nearest to go to Fort King, but 
we did not know the way, and had seen the enemy retreat in 
that direction. As I came out I saw Dr. Gatlen lying stripped 
amongst the dead. The last I saw of him whilst living, v^^'as 
kneeling behind the breastwork, with two double-barrel guns 
by him, and he said, ' W^ell, I have got four barrels for them !' 
Captain Gardiner, after being severely wounded, cried out, ' I 
can give you no more orders, my lads, do your best!' I last 



MUUDER OF MRS. COOLY AND CHILDREN. 523 



saw a negro spurn liis body, saying with an oath, 'that's one of 
their officers.' 

" My comrade and myself got along quite well until the next 
day, when we met an Indian on horseback, armed witli a 
rille, coming up the road. Our only chance was to separate — 
we did so. I took the right and he the left of the road. The 
Indian pursued him. Shortly afterwards I heard a rifle shot, 
and a little after another. I concealed myself among some scrub, 
and saw palmetto, and after awhile saw the Indian pass looking- 
for me. Suddenly, however, he put spurs to his horse, and 
went off at a gallop towards the road. 

"I made something of a circuit before I struck the beaten 
track again. That night I was a good deal annoyed by the 
wolves, who had scented my blood, and came very close to me. 
The next day, the 30th, I reached the fort." 

Thus perished one hundred and six men, under circumstances 
of hopelessness and misery, rarely equalled in modern warfare. 
Intelligence of this tragic event spread a degree of horror through- 
out the country, lasting and powerful ; and even at the present 
day, the name of the gallant, ill-fated Dade, is a spell-word to 
conjure up feelings of sorrow. Three of the whole command 
escaped. 

Soon after this affair, (January 6th, 1S36,) thirty Indians 
attacked the family of Mr. Cooly, on New river, while he was 
absent from home. They murdered Mrs. Cooly, three children, 
and Mr. Flinton their teacher. During this transaction, the 
neighbouring families made their escape into the more thickly 
settled territory. The fact that Cooly had long resided among 
the Indians, learned their language, and always treated them 
with kindness, renders this massacre more atrocious. 

Previous to this, (December 31st,) General Clinch had had a 
severe engagement with the savages, near the Ouitlilacoochee 
river. On the 29th, he had marched from Fort King with a 
considerable force. At four o'clock in the morning, (31st,) after 
leaving all his baggage, provisions, &c., protected by a guard, 
under Lieutenant Dancy, he pushed toward the ford, intending 
to surprise the main body of the Indians who were supposed to 
be concentrated on the west bank. On reaching it about day- 



524 



INDIAN CRUELTIES. 



light, he found instead of a good ford, a deep and rapid stream, 
and no means of crossing except in an old and damaged canoe. 
Undismayed by these difficulties, the troops entered the boat 
with alacrity, the dragoons swimming their horses. When 
about one half had succeeded in gaining the opposite bank, the 
battalion of regulars, consisting of about two hundred men, were 
attacked by the enemy, led by Osceola, and strongly posted in 
the swamp and scrub, wdiich extended from the river. This 
little band, aided by Colonel Warren, Major Cooper, and Lieu- 
tenant Yeoman, with twenty-seven volunteers, met the attack 
of the savage enemy, nearly three times their number, with 
Spartan valour. The action lasted nearly ah hour, during 
which time the troops made three brilliant charges into the 
swamp and scrub, driving the enemy in every direction ; and 
although after the last charge nearly one-third of their number 
had been cut down, they were found sufficiently firm and steady 
to form a new line of battle, which gave entire protection to the 
flanks and position of crossing. No inducement could prevail 
on the remainder of the army to cross the river, and assist their 
companions. 

EANWHILE the eastern settlements in 
the neio-hbourhood of San Auf?ustin were 
ravaged by the enemy, many of the inha- 
bitants slain, and the negroes carried away. 
So disastrous were these ravages, that in 
East Florida, five hundred families were 
driven from their homes, and their entire 
possessions destroyed by the Indians. 
During these transactions, General Gaines, commander of the 
southern division of the United States army, was actively en- 
gaged in raising a body of troops sufficient to suppress all oppo- 
sition. He reached Fort King on the 22d of February, and 
whence moved down the Ouithlacoochee. On the 27th, he had 
a slight skirmish with the enemy at General Clinch's crossing- 
place, where he lost one killed and eight wounded. Next day 
the army was again attacked, Lieutenant Izard mortally wounded, 
one man killed and two others wounded. Skirmishing was re- 
newed on the 29th, one man killed and thirty-three wounded. 




GENERAL SCOTT COURT- MARTIALLED. 525 

The general himself received a shot in his lower lip. This par- 
tisan warfare was continued until the 5th of March, three men 
were wounded on the 2d of that month, and on the 4th, one 
killed and two wounded. 

On the 5th, a number of Indians, headed by Osceola, appeared 
before General Gaines's camp, and expressed their willingness 
to terminate hostilities. They were told that on condition of re- 
tiring south of the Ouithlacoochee, and attending a council when 
called on by the United States commissioners, they should not 
be molested. To this they agreed ; but at this moment General 
Clinch, who had been summoned by express from Fort Drane, 
encountered their main body; and supposing themselves sur- 
rounded by deliberate stratagem, they Hed with precipitation. 
This unfortunate accident put an end to negotiations for that 
time. Soon after, ascertaining that he had been superseded, 
General Gaines transferred the command to General Clinch, 
who retired with his whole force to Fort Drane. 

General Scott now received the chief command in Florida, 
and commenced a new plan of operations, which, as is believed, 
would have speedily terminated the war ; but unexpectedly he 
was superseded, and summoned to Washington on court-martial. 
His trial eventuated in full, honourable acquittal from all blame, 
but meanwhile he had been superseded by General Jessup. The 
measures of this officer were unimportant. 

The summer and fall of 1837 passed away without any pros- 
pect of a reconciliation with the Indians ; but in December, 
Colonel Z. Taylor, who commanded a regiment of Jessup's troops, 
came upon the trail of the Indians, and commenced a vigorous 
pursuit. On the 25th, at the head of about five hundred men, 
he came up with about seven hundred Indians, on the banks of 
the Okee-cho-bee lake, under the celebrated chiefs. Alligator, 
Sam Jones, and Coacoochee. This battle was sought by both 
parties. On the day previous to the engagement, the colonel 
had received a challenge from Alligator, informing him of his 
position, and courting an attack. The Indians were posted in 
a thick swamp, covered in front by a small stream, whose quick- 
sands rendered it almost impassable. Through this the Ameri- 
cans waded, sometimes sinking to the waist in mud and water, 



526 BATTLE OF OKEE-CHO-BEE. 

and totally unable to employ their horses. On reaching the 
borders of the hammock, the advance received a heavy fire, 
which killed their leader, (Colonel Gentry,) and drove them 
back in confusion. The main body then rushed into action, at- 
tacking the enemy under a galling fire, and fought from half- 
past twelve until three p. m., although exposed to the full range 
of the enemy's fire. With one exception, every officer in the 
6th infantry was shot down, and one of the companies had but 
four members untouched. The Indians were forced from their 
position, and driven a considerable distance toward the extremity 
of Okee-cho-bee lake. 

Colonel Taylor thus describes the appearance of the battle- 
field, together with his operations immediately subsequent to the 
action : 

" Here I trust I may be permitted to say that I experienced 
one of the most trying scenes of my life, and he who could have 
looked on it with indifference, his nerves must have been differ- 
ently organized from my own. Besides the killed, (twenty-six 
in number,) there lay one hundred and twelve wounded officers 
and soldiers, who had accompanied me one hundred and forty- 
five miles, most of the way through an unexplored wilderness, 
without guides, who had so gallantly beaten the enemy under 
my orders, in his strongest position, and who had to be conveyed 
back through swamps and hammocks, from wdience we set out 
without any apparent means of doing so. This service, however, 
was encountered and overcome, and they have been conveyed 
thus far, (Fort Gardiner,) and proceeded on to Tampa Bay, on 
rude litters, constructed with the axe and knife alone, with poles 
and dry hides — the latter being found in great abundance at the 
encampment of the hostiles. The litters were carried on the backs 
of our weak and tottering horses, aided by the residue of the 
command, with more ease and comfort to the sufferers than I 
could have supposed possible, and with as much as they could 
have been in ambttlauces of the most improved and modern con- 
struction. * * * * * ^:- * * 

" "We left oiu' encampment on the morning of the 27th for the 
Kissamee, where I had left my heavy baggage, which place we 
reached about noon on the 28th. After leaving two companies 



COLONEL TAYLOR PROMOTED. 



529 




and a few Indians to garrison the stockade, which I found nearly 
completed on my return, by that active and vigilant ofhcer. Cap- 
tain Monroe, 4th artillery. I left the next morning for this place, 
where I arrived on the 31st, and sent forward the wounded next 
day to Tampa Bay, with the 4th and 6th infantry, the former 
to halt at Fort Frazer, remaining here myself with the 1st, in 
order to make preparations to take the field again as scon as my 
horses can be recruited, most of which have been sent to Tampa, 
and my supplies in a sufficient state of forwardness to justify 
the measure." 

'N consequence of this battle, Colonel Tay- 
lor was enabled to advance further into 
the Indian country than any previous 
commander had done. So difficult, how- 
ever, was the transportation of supplies, 
that the Seminoles were still able to main- 
tain their old fastnesses among swamps 
and forests, thus rendering their complete 
removal, and the consequent termination 
of the war, impracticable. Soon after the battle the rank of 
brevet brigadier-general was conferred upon Taylor, and in 
April, 1838, he w^as appointed to the chief command in Florida. 
He had several small skirmishes with the Indians, but could 
never again force them to a general battle. Bloodhounds were 
finally employed by the army in order to trace the enemy's 
hiding-places ; but after a full trial they were found totally in- 
competent, and consequently abandoned. 

The most heart-rending barbarities were committed about this 
time by the savages. A Mr. Gray, with one of his children was 
shot while sitting in the house with his family. A second child 
shared the same fate, and a third was bayoneted. On another 
occasion a little boy was shot, and his father w^ounded. Soon 
after a whole family were killed, and afterwards burned with 
their dwelling. About the same time a widow and five children 
were butchered. The following extracts, from the journals of 
that period, describe further atrocities : 

" On Saturday night between nine and ten o'clock, the family 
of Mr. Green Chairs, about ten miles from town, (Tallahassee,) 

2V 



67 



530 ATTACK ON COLONEL HARNEY. 



was attacked by the Indians. Mrs. Chairs was sitting by the 
table sewing, surrounded by her interestino; family, consisting 
of her husband and six children. An Indian rifle was fired 
and Mrs. Chairs fell dead. Mr. Chairs instantly sprang up, and 
seizing his rifle, closed the doors and windows, and determined 
to defend his dwelling. He directed the four elder children to 
make their escape by the back door. One of them, a young- 
lady of seventeen, was seen and pursued by the savages, but 
wearing a black cloak, she was enabled to conceal herself in 
some Ijushes. Mr. Chairs at the same time discovered that the 
house had been fired ; and so rapid was tlie progress of the 
flames, that this new danger and the consternation ])roduced by 
the death of his wife, caused him to forget his two youngest 
children. He fled, leaving them — and Ijotli helpless infants 
were Imrned to cinders with his dwelling and all it contained." 

"Two wagons," says the Tallahassee Star "left Fort Fraidc 
Brook, on Monday, (July, 1h39,) and after proceeding a short 
distance, they were fired upon l)y Indians, from a hammock, and 
two men killed. The body of one was afterwards found horri- 
bly mutilated, with the eyes dug out, the throat cut, and other- 
Avisc disfigured. The body of the other could not be found." 

About the same time a small command under Colonel Harney 
were attacked l)y a large l^ody of Indians. The particulars of this 
affair are thus given in a cotemporary journal, dated Carey's 
Ferry, East Florida, August, 1839 : 

" On the 28th of July, four dragoons, tw^o wounded, arrived 
here, and reported the massacre of a large body of Colonel Har- 
ney's command, wdio were sent to the Caloosahatchee to esta- 
blish a trading-house in conformity with Macomb's treaty. The 
Indians had for some time manifested the most friendly disposi- 
tions, daily visiting the camp, and trading with the sutler. So 
completely had they lulled the troops into security, that no de- 
fense was erected and no guard maintained. The camp was on 
the margin of the river. At dawn on the 23d of July, the ene- 
my made a simultaneous attack on the camp and the trading- 
house. Those who escaped the first discharge fled naked to 
the river, and effected their escape in some fishing smacks. 
Colonel Harney was among them. The sergeant and four others, 



INDIAN CRUELTIES. 



531 



while descending the river, were called to the shore by a well 
known Indian, who spoke English well, with the assurance 
that they would not be harmed. They complied, and were in- 
stantly butchered. Altogether eighteen were killed. Colonel 
Harney afterwards cautiously approached the spot, and found 
eleven bodies shockingly mutilated, and two hundred and fifty 
Indians in the neighbourhood, dancing and whooping in savage 
triumph." 

The particulars of another massacre perpetrated in 1840, are 
thus given by a St. Augustine paper : 

" It becomes again our mournful duty to record the success- 
ful effusion of blood in this ill-fated territory, and the triumphant 
accomplishment on the part of the Indians of an adventure bor- 
dering on romance. Indian Key, a small spot of not over seven 
acres in extent, about thirty miles from our main land, on our 
southern Atlantic coast, was invested by seventeen boats, con- 
taining Indians, seven of its inhabitants murdered, the island 
plundered, and its buildings burned. 

" About two o'clock on the morning of the 7th instant, a Mr. 
Glass, in the employ of Mr. Houseman, happening to be up, saw 
boats approaching, and informed a person in the same employ, 
when they passed into Mr. Houseman's garden and were 
satisfied that the boats contained Indians. The Indians now 
commenced firing upon the house of Mr. Houseman, and Dr. 
Perrine, the former of whom with his family, and Mr. Charles 
Howe and his family succeeded in escaping to boats and crossed 
over to Tea-table Key. The family of Dr. Perrine passed 
through a trap door into their bathing-room, from whence they 
got into the turtle crawl, and by great efforts removed the logs 
and escaped to the front of Houseman's store. They then went 
to a boat at the wharf which six Indians had partly filled, and 
were in the store after a further supply. They then pushed off 
and pulled with an oar, a paddle, and poles toward the schooner 
Medium. When they had rowed a mile, they were met by a boat 
and taken to the schooner. 

" Mr. Motte and wife, and Mrs. Johnson, a lady of seventy 
years of age, fled into an out-house, from whence Mrs. Motte 
was dragged by an Indian, and while in the act of calling on her 



532 



INDIAN CRUELTIES. 



husband, 'John, save me!' she was killed. Mr. Motte shared 
the same fate, and was scalped ; but the old lady, as she was 
dragged forth, suddenly jerking from the Indian, broke his hold 
and escaped under a house. Her grandchild, a daughter of Mrs. 
Motte, aged four years, was then killed with a club, and the in- 
fant strangled and thrown into the water. This was seen by 
Mrs. Johnson from her hiding-place ; but the Indians firing the 
liuilding, she was again forced to flee, and after secreting her- 
self under Malony's wharf, was finally rescued. James Sturdy, 
a boy about eleven years of age, hid himself in the cistern under 
Mr. Houseman's house, and was scalded to death by the burning 
building heating the water. The remains of an adult skeleton 
were found among the ruins of Dr. Perrine's house, supposed to 
be the doctor, as well as that of a child, thought to have been a 
slave of Mr. Houseman. 

" The Indians were what is known as Spanish Indians, and 
were headed by Chekekia, the same cliief who led the party 
that massacred the men at Caloosaliatchee. They obtained a 
great amount of plunder from the houses and stores; and whilst 
engaged in obtaining these articles, Mrs. Perrine, with her two 
daughters and a little son, reached a boat partially loaded, and 
put off to the schooner Medium, lying at some distance. They 
were promptly rescued by a boat coming to their assistance, and 
were taken to the schooner. 

N Mr. Houseman reaching Tea-table 
Bay, Midshipman Murray, United 
States Navy, started with his only 
available force of fifteen men and two 
swivels. Ten of the men were in 
hospital, so sick as to be certainly 
unfit for duty ; but on urging their 
claim were permitted to accompany 
the others, hoping to cut off the boats, 
and thus prevent the escape of the Indians. On the second fire 
of his guns, they recoiled overboard, and the Indians then com- 
menced a fire upon his boat, from a six-pounder belonging to 
Mr. Houseman, cliarged with muslvet-balls, and drove back this 
active officer. 




COLONEL WORTH ASSUMES THE COMMAND. 533 



'' Communication was immediately despatched to Lieutenant 
McLaugiilin, who was at Key Biscayne, with the United States 
schooners Fhrt and Ostego and they proceeded down. The In- 
dians, however, had escaped, after maintaining possession of tlie 
island twelve hours, carrying off large quantities of powder and 
other articles, and laying the little settlement in ashes. All 
escaped save the unfortunates named above. 

" Among all the bold and lawless feats which liave charac- 
terized the enemy during the war, there is nothing that will 
bear comparison with this. We have seen the murdered 
remains of the citizen and soldier almost within siorht of the o-ar- 
risen, when the white flag of overture was waving to these in- 
human rascals in acts of kindness. We have seen the armed 
rider stricken by the bullet from the covert of the hammock, 
and the carriage of the traveller made to receive the last life- 
blood of its occupant. We have seen the faithlessness of the 
tribe, even when the humanity of the white man was devising 
every means for its comfort, planning their accursed schemes of 
murder, and Caloosahatchee, the ground of confidence and good 
will, red with the blood of our troops and citizens. But an island 
we had thought safe. As little would we have looked for an 
avalanche amid the sands of Arabia, or the glowing warmth of 
the equator amid Greenland's icy mountains, as an attack from 
Indians upon an island. A force, too, of seventeen canoes, 
averaging five men each, make a voyage of at least thirty miles 
from the main land, ransack, pillage, and destroy, and return in 
safety!" 

In 1840, General Taylor requested permission to retire from 
Florida, which was granted, and in April, General Armistead 
was appointed to succeed him. The operations of this officer 
were necessarily of the same tedious and unsatisfactory charac- 
ter as most of his predecessors had been, and in May, 1841, he 
was succeeded by Colonel Worth. 

This officer commenced the campaign under very unfavour- 
al)le circumstances, having no less than twelve hundi'ed men 
sick and unfit for duty. On assuming command he is said to 
have named the 1st of January, 1842, as the time when he hoped 
to bring the war to a close. 

2t2 



534 BATTLE OF P A L A K L A K L A H A. 

In Aiif^iist the famous cliief, Wild Cat, surrendered his whole 
band, including Coacoochee and his family, at Tampa. On 
the 13th the example was followed by a considerable number of 
Hospitaki's party, and next month by many of the Tallahassee 
tribe. Subsef[uently, various chiefs and their bands were regu- 
larly brought in. 

Nothih"", however, of a decisive nature took place until the 
19th of April, 1842, wdien Colonel Worth found the enemy in 
consideral)le force, strongly fortified, near Okeehumphee swamp. 
An immediate attack was made and the Indians totally defeated. 
Every trail made in their flight was taken and pursued luitil 
dark, and renewed on the following morning, the detachments 
marching each day, some twenty and some thirty miles. The 
scene of this battle was tlie big hammock of Palaklaklaha. As 
a reward for his services in this affair, Worth was brevetted by 
government, brigadier-general. Soon after, (May 4th,) Hallush- 
Tustemuggee, with eighty of his band, came to Palatka and sub- 
mitted, and on the l'2th of August, Colonel Worth announced 
in Pfeneral orders, that the Florida war was ended. This asser- 
tion, however, was premature, for hostilities again recommenced, 
and Worth received the surrender of a large body of Creeks at 
Tampa. 

The battle of Palaklaklaha was the last important incident of 
the Florida war. Its close was thus announced by President 
Tyler, in his message of December 7th, 1842. 

"The vexatious, harassing, and expensive war which so long 
prevailed with the Indian tribes inhabiting the peninsula of 
Florida, has happily been terminated : whereby our army has been 
relieved from a service of the most disagreeable character, and 
the treasury from a large expenditure. Some casual outbreaks 
may occur, such as are incident to the close proximity of border 
settlements and the Indians ; but these, as in all other cases, may 
be left to the care of the local authorities, aided, when occasion 
may require, by the forces of the United States. A suflficient 
number of troops will be maintained in Florida, so long as the 
remotest apprehension of danger shall exist ; yet their duties 
will be limited rather to the garrisoning of the necessary posts 
than to the maintenance of active hostilities. It is to be hoped 



PRESIDENT Tyler's message. 537 

that a territory so long retarded in its growth, will now^ speedily 
recover from the evils incident to a protracted war, exhibiting 
in the increased amount of its rich productions, true evidences 
of returning wealth and prosperity. By the practice of rigid 
justice towards the numerous Indian tribes, residing within our 
territorial limits, and the exercise of parental vigilance over their 
interests, protecting them against fraud and intrusion, and at the 
same time using every proper expedient to introduce among 
them the arts of civilized life, w^e may fondly hope, not only to 
wean them from the love of war, but to inspire them with a 
love of peace and all its avocations. With several of the tribes, 
great progress in civilizing them has already been made. The 
schoolmaster and the missionary are found side by side, and the 
remains of wdiat were once numerous and powerful nations may 
yet be preserved as the builders up of a new name for them- 
selves and their posterity." 

The war with the Seminoles in Florida, was certainly the 
most unsatisfactory, and least glorious one, in which our country 
has ever been engaged. Millions of dollars were expended upon 
it, without any apparent result. The ablest generals of the 
country, those who had won laurels from Wellington's veterans, 
many years before, and have since overthrow-n army after army 
in Mexico, were baffled and enervated ; the government was dis- 
graced at home and abroad ; and a handful of roving, plundering 
savages, rendered one of the finest portions of our territory almost 
uninhabitable, and its name a spell-word of terror, wdiich even 
now frequently lingers on the ear, as the remembrance of some 
distressing dream. The leader of the Indians, Osceola, notwith- 
standing his being compared with the unfortunate hero of Mount 
Hope, w^as, at best, a drunken, lawdess vagabond, despised by 
many of the savages themselves. Most of his followers were 
like himself, and almost all the hordes, who were active in their 
outrages upon the w^hites, were composed of Indians and run- 
away negroes. 

There is, however, much reason to believe that the Florida 
war was hastened, perhaps actually caused by the imprudence 
of the wdiites themselves. Individual licenses, committed in 
direct opposition to the will of government, and without its 

68 



538 



REFLECTIONS ON THE WAR. 



knowledge, led to acts of retaliation. These in turn were revenged, 
until parties assumed an attitude to which the only alternative 
was war. For some time these petty outrages were merely re- 
garded as ordinary murders, without any train of eventful cir- 
cumstances ; and thus the Indians were enabled to plan their 
schemes, and select the most favourable fastnesses for security. 
But the massacre of Dade's command roused the country from 
its lethargy. The warning, however, had come too late; and 
what might have been accomplished without bloodshed, if at- 
tempted in time, had now grown utterly unmanageable. 

All the Florida Indians are now transported to the Indian ter- 
ritory, and the possibility of another " Florida War" for ever 
obviated. 





Ck)rpus Christi. 




WAR WITH MEXICO. 
CHAPTER I. 

HE federal form of government 
was abolished in Mexico, in the 
year 1835, in consequence of a 
revolution, which transferred the 
direction of affairs to General San- 
ta Anna. As military dictator, 
this officer abolished the state go- 
vernments, together with the privi- 
lege of representatives in the ge- 
neral congress, and formed the 
whole nation into a central or con- 
solidated republic, of which each 
The people of Texas and part 
of Tamaulipas declared this measure unconstitutional, and when 
their protestations were disregarded, arose in open revolution. 

2Z (511) 




state became a department. 



542 ANNEXATION OF TEXAS. 



By aid of volunteer adventurers from the United States, tliey de- 
feated Santa Anna at San Jacinto, (April 21st, 1836,) and soon 
after cstal)lislicd a government of their own, similar to that of 
the United States. INIexico, however, refused to acknowledge 
their independence, and continued to make efforts for the reco- 
very of her lost territory. 

In 1837, the congress of Texas expressed their desire to be 
admitted as a state into the American Union ; but the proposal 
was at that time rejected by the latter. The scheme, however, 
was revived under the administration of President Tyler, by 
whom it was very favourably entertained ; but a treaty to that 
purpose, signed by commissioners of both nations, was rejected 
by the United States senate. The measure, however, was 
hnally passed hj the latter body, (March 1st, 1845,) on certain 
conditions. In the ensuing summer these were accepted by the 
Texan congress, and thus the nationality of the infant republic 
became merged in that of its jiowerful rival. 

Meanwhile Mexico was no idle spectator. When she became 
satisfied that the project of annexation was seriously entertained 
hy the American legislature, her minister at Washington was 
instructed to use all possible means to prevent the consumma- 
tion of the act. This duty he faithfully performed ; and when 
advised that his representations had been useless — that the reso- 
lution of annexation had passed the senate, he announced his 
mission closed, declaring tlie scheme of annexation "an act of 
aggression the most unjust which can be found recorded in the 
annals of modern history ; namely that of despoiling a friendly 
nation, like Mexico, of a considerable portion of her territory." 
He returned to Mexico, and for awhile all intercourse wdth the 
United States was closed. So strong was the popular feeling 
against the measure, that President Herrera, wdio favoured an 
adjustment of the difficulty by treaty, was compelled to resign, 
and General Paredes elected to succeed him. 

In September, President Polk authorized an inquiry of the 
Mexican government if it would be willing to receive a minister 
extraordinary, invested with ample powers for a termination of 
difficulties. To this request the Mexican congress acceded, 
asking, meanwhile, that during the proposed negotiations, the 



PRESIDENT folk's MESSAGE. 543 

American gulf squadron should be withdrawn from Vera Cruz. 
This being done, Mr. Slidell, the American envoy, proceeded to 
Mexico. Unfortunately, this was about the time that General 
Parcdes assumed command, and the unsettled condition of the 
country, together with other events, caused that functionary to 
withdraw assent for the intended negotiations, on the pretence 
that as Mr. Slidell had been authorized to attend to the settle- 
ment of former difficalties concerning Mexican outrages, his 
mission was not spedalhj confined to the Texas question. 

On the 1st of March, 1846, Mr. Slidell requested of the Mexi- 
can government an acknowledgment of his official character. 
This w^as refused, and he returned to the United States. 

Meanwhile President Polk determined on sending an armed 
force into the territory of Texas, in order to protect it from an 
anticipated invasion. His message of December, 1845, thus an- 
nounces this measure to congress : 

" Both the congress and the convention of the people of Texas 
invited this government to send an army into their territory, to 
protect and defend them against a menaced attack. The moment 
the terms of annexation offered by the United States were ac- 
cepted by Texas, the latter became so far a part of our country 
as to make it our duty to afford such protection and defense. I 
therefore deemed it proper, as a precautionary measure, to order a 
strong squadron to the coast of Mexico, and to concentrate a 
sufficient military force on the western frontier of Texas. Our 
army was ordered to take positions in the country between the 
Nueces and the Del Norte, and to repel any invasion of tlie 
Texan territory, which might be attempted by the Mexican 
forces. 

" Our squadron in the gulf was ordered to co-operate with the 
army. But though our army and navy were placed in a posi- 
tion to defend our own and the rights of Texas, they were 
ordered to commit no act of hostility against Mexico, unless 
she declared war, or was herself the aggressor by striking the first 
blow. * ^- * * * ^^ * * *- 

" When orders were given during the past summer for concen- 
trating a military force on the western frontier of Texas, our 
troops were widely dispersed, and in small detachments occupy- 



544 ORDERS TO GENERAL TAYLOR. 

ing posts remote from each other. The prompt and expeditions 
manner in wliich an army, embracing more than one half of our 
peace estabhshment, was drawn together, on an emergency so 
sudden, reflects great credit on the officers who were intrusted 
with the execution of these orders, as well as upon the discipline 
of the army itself" 

The presence of this force, in Texas, was no doubt one reason 
for the rejection of Mr. Slidell. 

On the 21st of March, 1845, General Zachary Taylor was ap- 
pointed commander-in-chief of the '' Corps of Observation," with 
orders to hold the forces under his command, ready to enter Texas 
whenever directed. On the 15th of June he was apprized of 
the probable speedy acceptance of the terms of annexation by 
the Texan congress, and received orders of a confidential nature 
to enter the annexed territory. The instructions to this effect 
(written by Mr. Bancroft, during the sickness of Secretary 
Marcy) were as follows: 

" In anticipation of that event, [the above-mentioned action of 
the Texan congress,] you will forthwith make a forward move- 
ment wdth the troops under your command, and advance to the 
mouth of the Sabine, or to such other point on the]Gulf of Mexico, 
or its navigable waters, as in your judgment wdll be most con- 
venient for an embarkation, at the proper time, for the western 
frontier of Texas. ****** The point of your 
ultimate destination is the western frontier of Texas, where you 
will select and occupy on or near the Rio Grande del Norte, 
such a site as will consist with the health of your troops, and 
will be best adapted to repel an invasion, and to protect, what, 
in the event of annexation, will be our western border. You 
will limit yourself to the defense of the territory of Texas, unless 
Mexico should declare war against the United States." 

In August General Taylor marched with all his forces to 
Corpus Christi, where he remained until March 11th of the next 
year, when, under instructions from the war department, he 
broke up his camp and pushed forward for the Rio Grande. At 
the Arroyo Colorado he was met by a party of stragglers, who 
appeared disposed to oppose his crossing ; but no opposition was 
actually offered. On the 24th, he took undisputed possession of 



ERECTION OF FORT BROWN. 



545 




Point Isabel. 



Point Isabel. Previous to this he had been met by a deputa- 
tion, protesting against his march, and threatening war if it were 
persisted in. Some buildings at the point were fired by the 
Mexicans, but the conflagration was arrested by Colonel Twiggs. 
Leaving at this place four hundred and fifty men, with ten can- 
non and ample supplies of powder and ball, under Major John 
Munroe, General Taylor continued his advance. On the 2Sth 
he erected the national flag on the banks of the Rio Grande, 
opposite Matamoras. 

On the following day Brigadier-General Worth, with his staff, 
crossed the river, with despatches to the municipal authorities. 
He was met by a Mexican delegation, the reception of the papers 
declined, and his request of an interview with the American 
consul refused. 

This iinpropitious aifiiir was but the commencement of diffi- 
culties. Immediately after, all commnnication with General 
Taylor was closed, and symptoms of approaching w^ar daily 
multiplied. In order to prepare for it, General Tajdor com- 
menced the erection of a fort, to be defended by extensive works, 
More than one thousand men were employed upon it night and 
day. Tills redoubt, under the name of Fort Brown, subserpiently 



69 



54G MURDER OF COLONEL CROSS. 

became famous for its successful defense against the bombard- 
ment of the enemy, and for the death of its defender, Major 
Jacob Brown. 

The death of Colonel Truman Cross, the first victim of the 
Mexican war, occurred on the 10th of April. This officer was 
in the habit of riding out every morning for the purpose of ex- 
ercise, and on this occasion was observed to remain from camp 
longer than usual. This circumstance occasioned many fears 
in camp, especially as the country was known to abound in num- 
bers of lawless rancheros, who respected neither friend nor foe. 
Small parties were despatched in every direction, but without 
being able to obtain any information of him. General Taylor 
wrote to the authorities of Matamoras, but they avowed their 
entire ignorance of the colonel's fate. Eleven days passed 
in a state of suspense, mingled with the faint hope that notwith- 
standing the protestations of the Mexicans, he was a prisoner in 
Matamoras. 

On the 21st, the melancholy truth was ascertained. A strag- 
gler entered camp, and stated that the body of an American 
officer lay at some distance offi He guided a i)arty to a thicket, 
in which lay the colonel's remains. The spot was at a short 
distance from a road leading near the river. The body had been 
stripped, and the flesh torn from it by vultures. The remains 
were recognized principally l)y the teeth, scalp, the stock, and 
one shoulder stra}). He is said to have been surrounded by a 
party, commanded by the notorious Romano Falcon. The men 
were anxious to carry him into Mexico, but to this their leader 
objected, and on finding his followers resolute, he shot the colo- 
nel with a pistol. 

The remains were interred with military honours on the 26th. 
The funeral escort was composed of a squadron of dragoons and 
eight companies of infantry, the whole superintended by Colonel 
Twiggs. It was a solemn pageant, witnessed by thousands of 
friends and foes, and threw a deep melancholy over the whole 
American army. '' The high rank of the deceased," says Ge- 
neral Taylor, in his order of the previous day, " and the ability 
and energy which he carried into the discharge of the important 
duties of his office, will cause his loss to be severely felt in the 



AMPUDIA ARRIVES IN M ATA MORAS. 



547 



service ; while the untoward circumstances of liis demise will 
render it peculiarly afflicting to his family and personal friends." 

When news of this event reached the United States it caused 
much excitement. All felt it to be but the prelude to that whole- 
sale slaughter, inseparable from the fearful policy of a national 
appeal to arms. Niles's National Register thus notices it : 

" War is a horrible evil. The news of the death of the first 
victim in this new war into which our country is plunged, has 
brought with it a deepening sense of the evils, inseparable from 
the mad conflict of man with man, be the occasion what it may. 
An acquaintance formed in early life — a warm and steadfast 
friend from the commencement of that acquaintance, a generous, 
open-hearted, ardent, intelligent and talented man — one who was 
in all attributes a man among men — is the first victim. His 
father forty years since, through many an ardent struggle, poli- 
tical and national, was shoulder to shoulder with us in war, with 
arms in his hand, and in peace or war, with as ardent patriotism 
at heart as ever animated a citizen or a republican. His son is 
snatched from our hopes as well as from a wide circle of friends, 
and from his own wife, now widowed and left with her orphans 
to a life — how desolate and lonely ! Wreaths may encircle the 
brow of victors in the coming contest ; but what shall compensate 
for sufferings of which this is but a type of what must be the 
price at which they are purchased. 

Previous to this (April 11th) General Ampudia entered Mata- 
moras with large reinforcements, and assumed supreme com- 
mand. The occasion was one of exultation to the inhabitants. 
On the folloAving day he addressed a note to General Taylor, 
requesting him to break up his camp and march for the Rio 
Nueces within twenty-four hours. It concludes as follows : 

" If you insist in remaining upon the soil of the department 
of Tamaulipas, it will clearly result that arms, and arms alone, 
must decide the question ; and in that case I ad\dse you that we 
accept the war to which with so much injustice on your part you 
provoke us, and that on our part this war shall be coveted con- 
formal)ly to the principles of the most civilized nations : that is 
to say, that the laws of nations and of war shall be the guide of my 
operations ; trusting that on your part the same will be observed." 



548 Taylor's descrittion of his position. 

In his answer to tlie above, General Taylor replied, " The in- 
structions under which I am acting, will not permit me to retro- 
grade from the position I now occupy. In view^ of the relations 
between our respective governments, and the individual suffer- 
ing which ma}^ result, I regret the alternative wdiich you offer ; 
but at the same time wish it understood, that I shall by no means 
avoid such alternative, leaving the responsibility with those wdio 
rashly commence hostilities." 

Ampudia did not attempt the enforcement of his threat, and 
General Taylor continued the strengthening of his fortifications. 
'' We have a field-work under w^ay," he observes in a letter, 
" besides having erected a strong battery and a number of build- 
ings for the security of our supplies, in addition to some respect- 
able worlvs for their protection. We have mounted a respectable 
battery, two pieces of wdiich are long eighteen-pounders, with 
wdiich we could batter or burn down the city of Matamoras, 
should it become necessary to do so. When our field-work is 
completed and mounted with its proper armament, five hundred 
men could hold it against as many thousand Mexicans. * * 

" Fronting: each other, and for an extent of more than tw^o 
miles, and within musket range are batteries shotted, and the 
officers and men, in many instances, waiting impatiently for 
orders to apply the matches ; yet nothing has been done to pro- 
voke the firing of a gun, or any act of violence." 

The death of Lieutenant Porter, who was killed (April 17tli) 
by some Mexicans while searching for the body of Colonel Cross, 
tended to exasperate the Americans still further against the ene- 
my. The occurrence is thus described by an officer of the ge- 
neral's camp. 

Lieutenant Dobbins, 3d infantry, and Lieutenant Porter, of 
the 4th, left camp on the 17th instant, each wdth a detachment 
of two non-commissioned officers and ten privates, to reconnoiter 
the surrounding country, from ten to twenty miles, in search of 
a band of robbers known to have been in that vicinity, and who 
were supposed to have murdered Colonel Cross, and also to learn, 
if possible something of his fate. The two parties took different 
directions. It rained hard during the night. On the second day 
Lieutenant Porter met a party of Mexicans, one of whom snapped 



DEATH OF LIEUTENANT PORTER. 549 



his piece at liim. In return he discharged both barrels of his 
gun at the Mexican, wiio disappeared in the thorny thicket. 
The Americans captured the camp of tlie marauders, ten horses, 
saddles, &c. 

" This was at noon of the 19th, about eighteen miles above 
General Taylor's camp, and six from the Rio del Norte. The 
lieutenant continued his search, and about four p. m. of the same 
day, fell in with another party of Mexicans, which, probably, 
had been joined by those whom he had already left. It was now 
raining heavily. The Americans were fired on and one of their 
privates killed. They made an attempt to return the fire, but 
their powder had been wetted, and they were exposed to the full 
range of the enemy without the ability to defend themselves. 
The lieutenant, as was reported by his sergeant, made a sign 
with his hand for his men to extend to the right. The party 
thus became separated in the thickets. The sergeant and four 
privates returned to camp on the 20th, and gave the above account. 

" A detachment of thirty dragoons was despatched early the 
next morning to reconnoiter the position, and search for Lieute- 
nant Porter and those of his party who were missing. They 
returned the same night, without having learned any thing of 
them, the thickets being so dense that it was impossible for 
horses to move through them. They, however, fell in with 
Lieutenant Dobbins, who said that he would continue to look 
for Lieutenant Porter a day or two longer. The next day, about 
noon, the corporal and three men of the lieutenant's party re- 
turned, saying that they feared he had been killed. One of 
them stated that he had seen him fall from his horse ; and another 
that he dismounted and staggered towards a thicket while vol- 
lej^s of musketry were pouring around him." 

A letter, dated the 24th, gives the following additional par- 
ticulars : 

" The whole of Lieutenant Porter's party have returned to 
camp, except himself and the soldier who was killed by the first 
fire of the Mexicans, in the rencounter of the 19th. Private Arns, 
who came in last of the company, states that he \^-as within five 
or six feet of Lieutenant Porter when he fell. He received a 
ball which penetrated his thigh, and no doubt parted the artery. 



550 BLOCKADE OF THE RIO GRANDE. 



He immediately laid down, and expired very soon afterwards. 
The soldier previously killed lay within five yards of him. 

" Private Arns remained near the bodies of tlie lieutenant and 
the soldier for some time, concealed in the dense thicket, and 
hoping that relief w^ould come to hear the bodies away. He was 
at last obli<^ed to make his own ^vay to camp." 

On die same day, (April 17th,) two American schooners bound 
for Matamoras were w^arned olf the coast by General Taylor, 
and the mouth of the Rio Grande declared to be in a state of 
blockade. This proceedinor drew forth an angry letter from 
Am]UKlia, who threatened serious results in case of its being 
persisted in. The reply of the general was firm but temperate. 
He entered at length into all the circumstances of mutual im- 
portance wdiich had transpired since his march from Corpus 
Christ], asserting the blockade to lie but a necessary consequence 
of the state of war, declared to exist by Ampudia himself; and 
that inasmuch as the measure had 1)een re])orted to govern- 
ment, he could not remov^e it unless under orders therefrom. 
He concluded as follows : 

" In conclusion I take leave to state that I consider the tone 
of your communication highly exceptionable, where you stigma- 
tize the movement of the army under my orders as ' marked with 
the seal of universal reprobation.' You must be aware that such 
language is not respectful in itself, either to me or my govern- 
ment; and while I observe in my own correspondence the 
courtesy due to your high position, and to the magnitude of tlie 
interests with wdiicli w^e are respectively charged, I sIkQI expect 
the same in return." 

About this time papers were circulated through, the American 
camp, addressed almost exclusively to ihc fore/'gners of Tajlofs 
army, urging them to desert the cause in wdiich they Avere 
engaged. These appeals were most artfully worded, and calcu- 
lated to arouse every motive likely to act to the prejudice of the 
American cause. Arista's despatch (dated April 20tli) concludes 
as follows : 

"It is to no purpose if they tell you, that the law for the an- 
nexation of Texas justifies your occupation of the Rio Bravo del 
Norte ; for by this act they rob us of a great part of Tamaulipas, 



ARISTA S CIRCULAR INVITING DESERTERS. 551 



Coaliuila, Chihuahua, and New Mexico ; and it is barbarous to 
send a handful of men on such an errand against a powerful 
and warlike nation. Besides, the most of you are Europeans, 
and we are the declared friends of a majority of the nations of 
Europe. The North Americans are ambitious, overbearing, and 
insolent as a nation, and they will only make use of you as vile 
tools to carry out their abominable plans of pillage and rapine. 

"I warn you in the name of justice, honour, and jowx own 
interests and self-interest, to aljandon their desperate and unholy 
cause, and become peaceful Mexican citizens. I guaranty 
you, in such case, a hall-section of land, or three hundred and 
twenty acres, to settle upon, gratis. Be wise, then, and just, and 
honoural3le, and take no part in murdering us who have no un- 
kind feelings for you. Lands shall be given to officers, sergeants, 
and corporals, according to rank, privates receiving three hun- 
dred and twenty-acres, as stated. 

" If in time of action you wish to espouse our cause, throw 
away your arms and run to us, and we will embrace you as true 
friends and Christians. It is not decent nor prudent to say more. 
But should any of you render important service to Mexico, you 
shall be accordingly considered and preferred." 

Immediately after the blockade of the Rio Grande, parties of 
Mexicans commenced crossing the river, spreading themselves 
so as to occupy various positions along its eastern bank. These 
crossings took place both above and below General Taylor's 
camp ; and apprehensive of being surrounded by an overwhelm- 
ing force, he despatched a reconnoitering party in each direction. 
The fate of one of these, conducted by Captain Thornton is thus 
vividly described by a journal of that period. 

" On the evening of the 23d, General Taylor's spies brought 
in intelligence to the effect that about two thousand live hundred 
Mexicans had crossed the Rio Grande to the Texas side, above 
the American fort, and about fifteen hundred of the same had 
crossed below. The general immediately despatched a squad- 
ron of dragoons to each place of crossing, for the ])urpose of re- 
connoitering them and ascertaining their position. The squadron 
ordered below was in command of Captain Ker ; the one above 
was commanded by Captain Tliornton, and composed of Captain 



552 CAPTAIN Thornton's command surprised. 



Hardee, Lieutenants Kane and Mason, with sixty-one privates 
and non-comniissioned officers. 

" Tlie former commander, Captain Ker, on arriving at the 
point where it was su})posed tliey had crossed, found that the 
report was false, Ijut that they had crossed above. 

" Thornton's connnand had proceeded up the Rio Grande 
about twenty-four mik^s, and, as was supposed, to within about 
three miles of the Mexican camp, when the guide refused to go 
further, stating for his reason that the whole country w^as in- 
fested with Mexicans. The captain, however, proceeded on 
with his command about two miles, when he came to a farm- 
house, wliich was entirely inclosed by a chaparral fence, with 
the exception of that portion of it which bordered on the river, 
and this was so boggy as to be impassable. 

" Captain Thornton entered this inclosure thr£)ugh a pair of 
bars, and approached the house for the purpose of making some 
inquiry, his command following him. When the whole party 
had entered the inclosure, the enemy, having been concealed in 
the chaparral, about two thousand five hundred in number, com- 
pletely surrounded him and commenced firing upon his com- 
mand. He then wheeled his command, thinking he could charge 
through the enemy, and pass out where he had entered, even 
though it should be attended with considerable loss. This lie 
attempted, but on account of the strength of the enemy, did not 
succeed. 

" At this moment Captain Hardee approached liim for the pur- 
pose of suggesting the means to extricate themselves, the fire of 
the enemy still continuing. Thornton's horse, having received 
a shot, ran with him toward the chaparral fence, which he leaped 
and plunged into a precipice, ^vhere he fell with the captain un- 
derneath, who remained insensil)le for five or six hours. This 
casualty placed Captain Hardee in command, who attempted 
with the residue to make his escape l)y the river, intending, on 
arriving at its margni, to swim it. In this he failed, finding the 
erround so boo-o-y that he could not reach the river. He then 
returned, taking the precaution to keep out of musketry range, 
dismounted and examined the arms of his men, determined to 
sell their lives as dearly as possible. 



Taylor's communication intercepted. 553 



" Before he had succeeded in the inspection of the arms, a 
Mexican officer rode up and asked him to surrender. The captain 
repUed that if the Mexican general would receive them as prisoners 
of war and treat them as the most civilized nations do, they 
would give themselves up, but on no other condition. The officer 
bore this message to the commanding general, and returned with 
the assurance that the request should be complied w4th. Cap- 
tain Hardee then surrendered. Captains Thornton and Hardee, 
with Lieutenant Kane and the residue of the non-commissioned 
officers and privates, were made prisoners of war, but were re- 
marlvably well treated by the enemy." 

This affair was the virtual commencement of the war. It was 
reported to the commanding general as a victory of the greatest 
importance, and the Mexican army confidently anticipated the 
destruction of their invaders. From this time the enemy threw 
off the reserve which had hitherto characterized their movements, 
and crossing the river in large numbers, spread themselves be- 
tween Fort Brown and Point Isabel. To the American army, 
this was the most gloomy period of the war ; and when intelli- 
gence of its position reached the United States it created a sen- 
sation, and deep anxiety which showed how intimately the 
feelings of the people were twined around tliat distant band. 
But still General Taylor maintained his position, employing his 
whole army in the strengthening of his works ; and at Point 
Isabel not only did Major Munroe employ all the means which 
had been left with him, but also landed the crews of the vessels 
in the harljour, and armed them as soldiers. 

At this juncture the lamented Captain Walker reached Point 
Isabel, with some Texas rangers. As his merit was well known 
to the major, he was ordered to advance some distance beyond 
the worlds, and, if possible, open a communication with Fort 
Brown. With seventy-five men he rode to a position about 
fourteen miles distant; and soon after, (2Sth,) on learning that 
General Taylor was surrounded, he determined to open a com- 
munication. After riding some miles, he came suddcidy upon 
a large Mexican force, which he estimated at fifteen hundred, 
drawn u]i across the road. They w^ere nearly all mounted. The 
captain ordered his men into some neighbouring chaparral; 



3A 



70 



554 TAYLOR MARCHES FOR POINT ISABEL. 



but before this could be effected, the enemy charged, and as 
most of the Americans were but raw recruits, they tied in con- 
fusion. A running figlit ensued; tlie captain was pursued to 
within cannon-shot of Point Isabel, and his men dispersed. The 
loss of the Mexicans was about thirty. 

On arriving at camp, Captain Walker offered to renew^ his 
effort to open a communication, provided four men would ac- 
company liim, alleging that the smaller the number on such an 
expedition the more chance of escape, in case of an attack. 
Such a proposition was regarded as desperate; but on six men 
volunteering, the major granted the request, and the intrepid 
ranger set out. By liis intimate knowledge of the road, he was 
enabled to elude the enemy and reach Fort Brown in safety. 

As soon as General Taylor had received information of the 
condition of Point Isaljel, he determined to march with his army 
to its relief, leaving Major Jacob Brown with six hundred men 
and a few cannon to defend the river fort. He marched on the 
1st, and reached the main depot on the following day. 

Tlie general's march was a source of unbounded exultation 
to the Mexicans. It w^as reported in their military orders as a 
retreat, and the ruin of the invading army began to be confidently 
expected. 

As a preliminary to this, the destruction of Fort Brown A^-as 
to be accomplished. Accordingly, on the 3d, a battery stationed 
in Matamoras opened its fire upon the works, and continued a 
brisk cannonade all day. It was answered by two eighteen- 
pounders. At seven in the evening the firing, stopped, but was 
renewed at nine, and continued until midnight. One American 
was killed, but very little injury done on either side. Long 
before night Major Brown ceased firing, in consequence of the 
scarcity of ammunition. 

The cannonade had been heard at Point Isabel, and anxious 
to know the result, General Taylor despatched Captain May 
with aljout one hundred men, among whom was "Walker and 
ten rangers, 1o Fort Brown. They set out in the evening, 
passed the enemy's camp under cover of the night and halted 
by some chaparral within seven miles of the fort. Captain 
Walker then proceeded with his party, arrived at the works, 



BOMBARDMENT OF FORT BROWN. 



555 



and on announcing his name was admitted. He was detained 
SO long that May was obUged to return without him ; but on the 
5th, to the great joy of General Taylor and the army, he arrived 
safely. Within some miles of the point, lie had met a body of 
lancers, whom he charged and drove some miles ; his escape, 
however, from the Mexican army, whose scouts were in active 
watch for him, seems little less than miraculous. He reported 
to the general the gratifying intelligence that Major Brown was 
still confidently maintaining his position. 

At daylight on the 5th, the garrison at Fort Brown observed 
a battery in a field to the east, which soon opened its fire. The 
Americans were thus placed between two fires, which continued, 
with slight intermission, all day. They were renewed on the 
6th, on the morning of which day Major Brown was mortally 
wounded by a bomb shell, and the command devolved on Cap- 
tain Hawkins. In the evening that ofliicer was summoned to 
surrender, and on refusing, the firing was commenced with 
greater vigour than ever, ceasing only when on the 8th another 
distant noise assured friend and foe that Generals Taylor and 
Arista had met in general battle. On the 9th it recommenced, 
but was finally terminated by the defeat of Arista. 




Capture of Captain Thornton. 



556 



BATTLE OF PALO ALTO. 




CHAPTER II. 



»f t^2 




PON the 8tli of May, General Taylor 
at the head of his small army, numher- 
ing twenty-three hundred, came in 
sight of six thousand Mexicans, at Palo 
Alto He had left Point Isabel on the even- 
ing of the 7th, and after marching some miles 
encamped in battle array. The march was 
resumed next morning. He thus describes 
the battle. 
"About noon, when our advance of cavalry had reached the 
water-hole of ' Palo Alto,' the Mexican troops were reported 
in our front, and w^ere soon discovered occupying the road in 
force. I ordered a halt on reaching the water, with a view to 
rest and refresh the men and form deliberately our line of battle. 
The Mexican line w^as now plainly visible across the prairie, 
and about three-quarters of a mile distant. Their left, w^hich 



BATTLE OF PALO ALTO. 



557 



I// 



X^_ jift. 



4i>% 




Battle of Palo Alto. 



was composed of a heavy force of cavalry, occupied the road, 
resting upon a thicket of chaparral, while masses of infantry 
were discovered in succession on the right, greatly outnumber- 
ing our own force. 

'•' Our line of battle was now formed in the following order, 
commencing on the extreme right : 5th infantry, commanded by 
Lieutenant-Colonel Mcintosh ; Major Ringgold's artillery ; 8d 
infantry, commanded by L. M. Morris; two eighteen-pounders, 
commanded by Lieutenant Churchill, 3d artillery ; 4th infantry, 
commanded by Major G. W. Allen ; the 3d and 4th regiments, 
composed the 3d brigade, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel 
Garland, and all the above corps, together with tv/o squadrons 
of dragoons, under Captains Ker and May, composed the 
right wing, under the orders of Colonel Twiggs. The left was 
formed by the battalion of artillery, commanded by Lieutenant- 
Colonel Childs, Captain Duncan's light artillery, and the 8th 
infantry, under Captain Montgomery, all forming the 1st 
brigade, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Belknap. 
The train was parked near the water, under directions of Cap- 
tains Grossman and Myers, and protected by Captain Ker's 
squadron. 

" About two o'clock, we took up the march by heads of columns 



558 BATTLE OF PALO ALTO. 

in the direction of the enemy, the eighteen-pounder battery fol- 
lowing the road. While the other columns were advancing, 
Lieutenant Blake, topographical engineers, volunteered a recon- 
noissance of the enemy's line, which was handsomely performed, 
and resulted in the discovery of at least tw^o batteries of artillery 
in the intervals of their cavalry and infantry. These batteries 
were soon opened upon us, when I ordered the columns halted 
and deployed into line, and the fire to be returned by all our ar- 
tillery. The 8th infantry, on our extreme left, was thrown back 
to secure that flank. The first fires of the enemy did little exe- 
cution, while our eigh teen-pounders and Major Ringgold's artil- 
lery soon dispersed the cavalry which formed his left. Captain 
Duncan's battery, throvvn forward in advance of the line, M^as 
doing good execution at this time. Captain May's squadron 
was now detached to support that battery and the left of our 
position. The Mexican cavalry, with two pieces of artillery, 
were now reported to be moving through the chaparral to our 
right, to threaten that flank, or make a demonstration against 
the train. The 5th infantry was immediately detached to check 
this movement, and supported by Lieutenant Ridgely, with a 
section of Major Ringgold's l^attery, and Captain Walker's com- 
pany of volunteers, effectully repulsed the enemy — the 5th in- 
fantry repelling a charge of lancers, and the artillery doing great 
execution in their ranks. The 3d infantry was now detached 
to the right, as a still further security to that flank, yet threat- 
ened by the enemy. Major Ringgold, with the remaining sec- 
tion, kept up his fire from an advanced position, and was sup- 
ported by the left infantry. 

" The grass of the prairie had been accidentally fired by our 
artillery, and the volumes of smoke now partially concealed the 
armies from each other. As the enemy's left had evidently been 
driven back, and left the road free, and as the cannonade had 
been suspended, I ordered forward the eighteen-pounders on the 
road nearly to the position first occupied by the Mexican cavalry, 
and caused the 1st brigade to take up a new position, still on 
the left of the eighteen-pounder battery. The 5th was advanced 
from its former position, and occupied a point on the extreme 
right of the new line. The enemy made a change of position 



BATTLE OF PALO ALTO. 



559 




Death of RinRgoId. 



corresponding to our own, and after a suspension of nearly an 
hour, the action was resumed. 

" The fire of artillery was now most destructive ; openings 
were constantly made through the enemy's ranks by our fire, 
and the constancy with which the Mexican infantry sustained 
this severe cannonade was a theme of universal remark and ad- 
miration. Captain May's squadron was detached to make a de- 
monstration on the left of the enemy's position, and suffered 
severely from the fire of artillery, to which it was for some time 
exposed. 

"The 4th infantry, which had been ordered to support the 
eighteen-pounder battery, was exposed to a most galling fire of 
artillery, by which several men were killed, and Captain Page 
dangerously w^ounded. The enemy's fire was directed against 
our eighteen-pounder battery, and the guns under Major Ring- 
gold in its vicinity. The major himself, while coolly directing 
the fire of his pieces, was struck by a cannon-ball and mortally 
wounded. 

" In the mean time, the battalion under Lieutenant-Colonel 
Child's had been brought up to support the artillery on our 
right. A strong demonstration of cavalry was now made by the 
enemy against this part of our line, and the column continued 



560 BATTLE OF PALO ALTO. 

to advance under a severe lire from the eighteen-ponnders. The 
battaUon was iiistantly formed in square, and lield ready to re- 
ceive tlie charge of cavalry, but wlien tlie advancing squadrons 
were within close range, a deadly fire of canister from the 
eighteen-pounders dispersed them. A brisk fire of small arms 
was now opened upon the square, by which one ofiicer (Lieute- 
nant Luther, 2d artillery) was slightly wounded; but a well-di- 
rected volley from the front of the square silenced all further 
firing from the enemy in this quarter. It was now nearly dark, 
and the action was closed on the right of our line, the enemy 
having been comjDletely driven back from his position, and foiled 
in every attempt against it. 

"While the above was going forward on our right, and under 
our own eye, the enemy had made a serious attempt against the 
left of our line. Captain Duncan instantly perceived the move- 
ment, and, by the bold and brilliant manoeuvering of his battery, 
completely repulsed several successive efforts of the enemy to 
advance in force upon our left flank. Supported in succession 
by the 8th infantry, and by Captain Ker's squadron of dragoons, 
he gallantly held the enemy at bay, and finally drove him, with 
immense loss, from the field. The action here and along the 
whole line continued until dark, when the enemy retired into 
the chaparral, in rear of his position. 

" Our loss this day was nine killed, forty-four wounded, and 
two missing. 

" Our own force eno-ao-ed is shown to have been one hundred 
and seventy-seven officers, and two thousand one hundred and 
eleven men ; aggregate, two thousand two hundred and eighty- 
eight. The Mexican force, according to the statements of their 
own officers, taken prisoners in the affair of the 9th, was not less 
than six thousand regular troops, with ten pieces of artillery, 
and probably exceeding that number — the irregular force not 
known. Their loss was not less than two hundred killed, and 
four hundred wounded — probably greater. This estimate is 
very moderate, and formed upon the number actually counted 
on the field, and upon the reports of their own officers." 

Early on the following morning, the enemy were observed 
moving toward the Rio Grande. The battle had by no means 



BATTLE OF RES AC A DE LA PAL MA. 56] 

been decisive; and they were evidently seeliing a more ad- 
vantageous position, in order to renew it. For this the American 
commander had carefully prepared. The wounded had been re- 
lieved on the previous night, the troops refreshed, and every thino- 
put in readiness for battle ; in addition to which a council of 
officers had resolved to continue the march at all hazards. 

The battle of Resaca de la Palma is thus described by an 
American officer : 

"At two o'clock p. M., we found the enemy drawn up in great 
force, occupying a ravine which our road crossed ; with thick 
chaparral, or thorny bushes, on either side before it reached the 
ravine, and a pond of water on either side where it crossed the 
ravine, constituting a defile. They were seven thousand strong ; 
we fifty-four weaker than on the previous day. The general 
ordered an immediate attack by all the troops, except the first 
brigade, which was kept in reserve ; and soon the rattling fire of 
musketry, mingled with the heavy sound of artillerj^, announced 
the commencement of the action. The enemy had chosen his 
position, w^hich he considered impregnable — was vastly superior 
to us in numbers, and had ten pieces of artillery planted in the 
defile, which s^vept the road with grape, and which it was ab- 
solutely necessary for us to take before they could be beaten. 
These pieces were flanked on either side by a regiment of brave 
veteran troops from Tampico, and we were obliged to stand an 
awful shower of grape and bullet before a charge could reach 
them. The battle had lasted some two horn's with great fury on 
both sides, and many heroic deeds had been done, but no serious 
impression made, when General Taylor sent for Captain May of 
the second dragoons, and told him he must take that battery 
with his squadron of dragoons if lie lost every man. May 
instantly placed himself at the head of his men, and setting off 
at full speed, with cheers and shouts, dashed into the defile, 
where he w^as greeted with an overwhelming discharge of grape 
and bullets, which nearly anniliilated his first and second pla- 
toons, but he was seen, unhurt, darting like lightning through 
this murderous hailstorm, and, in a second, he and his men 
drove away, or cut to pieces the artillerists. 

" The speed of his horses was so great, however, that tliey 

71 



562 BATTLE OF RESACA DE LA PAL MA. 

passed tliroufrh the battery, and were halted in its rear. There, 
turning, he charged back, and was just in time to rescue a Mexi- 
can general officer, who would not leave his guns, and was 
parrying the strokes of one of his men. The officer handed his 
sword to May, announced himself as General La Vega, and gave 
his ]mrole. May turned him over to an officer, and galloping- 
back to General Taylor, reported that he had captured the 
enemy's battery, and the gallant General La Vega, bravely de- 
fendinfr it, whose sword he had the honour to present his com- 
manding officer. The general was extremely gratified, and felt 
no doidot that a blow had been given, from which it would be 
difficult for the enemy to recover Colonel Belknap, lead- 
ing his regiment into the thickest of the fight, seized a Mexican 
standard, and waving it over his head, dashed on in front of his 
men, until his horse stumbled over some dead bodies, and threw 
him. Being a heavy man, he was helped on his horse by a sol- 
dier, who in the act received a ball through his lungs, and at the 
same moment a shot carried away the Mexican flag, leaving but 
the handle with the colonel. He dashed ahead with that, how- 
ever, and his regiment carried every thing before it. At this 
moment the Mexicans gave way entirely, and, throwing down 
their arms, fled in every direction, leaving all their stores, muni- 
tions of war, arms, standards, &c. The killed, wounded, and 
prisoners, including those who were drowned in the Rio Grande, 
do not fall short of eighteen hundred — so that the enemy's loss 
in two days amounts to at least two thousand men, something 
more than the number we had in our army." 

May's charge was the most brilliant event of this hard-fought 
battle. It was an opportunity for which the captain had been 
anxiously hoping ; and riding in front of his horsemen, he called 
to them to follow. The next moment they were sweeping to- 
ward the enemy. Before being perceived by them. May was 
stopped by Lieutenant Ridgely, who was about firing in order 
to draw the sliot of the enemy. This being done. May again 
dashed forward, and in a tew minutes was by the muzzles of the 
cannon. Suddenly a tremendous discharge poured forth along 
the ranks of the intrepid horsemen, rolling horses and men head- 
lono- on the irround. But nothins^ could stop the survivors. 



DEATH OF LIEUTENANT BLAKE. 563 



Leaping over the cannon, they dfove the artillerists from their 
positions at the point of the sword. The batteries were defended 
by the celebrated Tampico veterans, hitherto regarded as in- 
vincible. They threw themselves furiously between their guns, 
and with their swords and bayonets fought hand to hand with 
the cavalry. One by one they sunk beneath the weapons of 
their adversaries; and even when the regiment was broken and 
crushed, one of them endeavoured to sustain its honour by wrap- 
ping the flag around him in order to bear it away. 

On the morning of this day, Lieutenant Blake, of the topo- 
graphical engineers, was killed by the accidental discharge of 
one of his pistols. This officer was much beloved, and on the 
previous day had performed a reconnoissance of the most daring 
valour. One who accompanied him gives the subjoined account 
of this feat : 

" After the line of battle had been formed, General Taylor 
rode along it to survey his command. Every man was perfectly 
cool, and had they been about to take dinner, they could not 
have been more indifferent. At this time the general had not 
the slightest knowledge as to whether the enemy had any artil- 
lery or not. The long prairie grass prevented any one from dis- 
tinguishing it, when masked by men in front of the pieces. 
AVhat was to be done ? It was an all-important point. Captain 
May was ordered to go forward with his squadron, reconnoiter 
the enemy, and, if possible, draw a fire from their artillery, but to 
no purpose; they took no notice of him. Lieutenant Blake then 
proposed to go forward alone and reconnoiter. I was close to 
him, and volunteered to accompany him. He consented, and 
we dashed forward to within eight ij yards of their line, the whole 
army looking on us with astonishment. Here we had a full 
view. The lieutenant alighted from his horse, and, with his 
glass, surveyed the whole line, and handed it to me. After 
making a similar observation, I returned the glass. Just then 
two officers rode out towards us. I mentioned it to Blake, and 
requested him to mount. He quietly told me to draw a pistol on 
them. I did so, and they halted. Had they thought proper, 
they could have fired a volley from their main line and riddled 
us both. We then galloped along their line to its other end, 



.564 EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS. 

there examined them ag-ain, and returned. Scarcely had Blake 
reported; when their batteries opened upon our line, and the 
worli of destruction commenced. Our examination proved to be 
correct." 

" The strength of our marching force on this day," says General 
Taylor, "was one hundred and seventy-three officers, and two 
thousand and forty-nine men — aggregate two thousand two hun- 
dred and twenty-two. The actual number engaged with the enemy 
did not exceed seventeen hundred. Our loss was three officers 
killed, and twelve wounded. Thirty-six men killed, and seventy- 
one wounded. * '* * *■ ■* I have no accurate data from which to 
estimate the enemy's force on this day. He was known to have 
been reinforced after the action of the 8th, both by cavalry and 
infantry, and no doubt to an extent equal at least to his loss on 
that day. It is probable that six thousand men were opposed to 
us, in a position chosen by them.selves, and strongly defended by 
artillery. The enemy's loss was very great. Nearly two 
hundred of his dead were buried by us, on the day succeeding 
the battle. His loss in killed, wounded, and missing, in the two 
affairs of the 8th and 9th, is, I think, moderately estimated at 
one thousand men. 

" Our victory has been decisive. A small force has overcome 
immense odds of the best troops that Mexico can furnish — veteran 
regiments perfectly equipped and appointed. Eight pieces of 
artillery, several colours and standards, a great number of 
prisoners, (including fourteen officers,) and a large amount of 
baggage, and public property fell into our hands." 

On the 10th prisoners were exchanged, and all the American 
captives, including- Captain Thornton, set free. On the same 
day Major Brown expired. 

On the 1 1th General Taylor visited Point Isabel, in order to 
arrange with the commander of the Gulf squadron, Commodore 
Conner, a plan for the campaign. Some of the objects of this 
plan are given in the following extract from a letter written to 
the war department at that time : 

" I avail myself of this brief time at my command to report, 
that the main body of the army is now occupying its former 
position, opposite Matamoras. The Mexican forces are almost 



TAYLOR S DESPATCH. 



565 



disorganized, and I shall lose no time in investing Matainoras, 
and. opening the navigation of the river. I am under the painful 
necessity of reporting, that Lieutenant Blake, topographical 
engineers, after rendering distinguished service in my staff, 
during the affair of the 8th instant, accidentally shot himself 
with a pistol the following day, and expired before night." 




36 



566 TAYLOR RE TIT TINS TO POINT ISABEL. 




CHAPTER III. 



[Ktute ©f ^^airUa uti^ 



ARITA is a small town on the 
Rio Grande, south of Matamoras. 
On returning- to Fort Brown, Ge- 
neral Taylor was informed that 
the Mexicans were there concen- 
trating their forces, for the pur- 
pose of establishing a military 
depot, which would give them 
command of the river. He there- 
fore returned to Point Isabel, 
where a large number of volun- 
teers from the southern and 
western states liad just arrived. Tliis enabled him to draw 
laro-e reinforcements for his main station, and to commence 

o 

offensive operations immediatel}^ 

In order to dispossess the enemy of their supposed position, 




DESCRIPTION OF BARITA. 567 

he appointed a party, under Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson, to pro- 
ceed against that station. It consisted of two volunteer compa- 
nies from Louisiana, under Captains Stockton and Tobin, and 
one from Alabama, under General Desha. Commodore Conner 
was to co-operate. 

On the 15th Wilson crossed the river, and marched down to 
Barita. To his astonishment he experienced no opposition, nor 
was an enemy seen in arms. General Taylor had been misin- 
formed. 

An officer of Colonel Wilson's party thus describes the town, 
and the operations of his commanding officer : 

" I am here to select a site for the depot of our new base of 
operations, and to intrench. This village is about ten miles 
from the mouth of the river, and the same distance from Brazos 
Santiago, or Fort Polk, (Point Isabel.) The prominent features 
which might induce me to decide upon this, as the proper point 
for the depot, are, that it is the first high land you reach in 
ascending the river, that it is above hurricane tides, that the 
ground is naturally formed for a military position, commanding 
every thing around it, and commanded by nothing. It is equi- 
distant, and not very inaccessible from our other depots. The 
worst road is to Fort Polk ; while the direct line is only ten 
miles, the only road for wagons is over twenty. Colonel Wilson 
has four companies of his own regiment here, and four of 
volunteers. 

''This movement up the river was intended to have been a 
combined one with Commodore Conner. It has been delayed 
two days in consequence of unfavourable weather rendering the 
bar too rough. The commodore's limited stay here compelled 
him to notify the general not to count upon his co-operation in 
an expedition up the river. This morning at daylight I started 
the Neva (a river boat) out from the Brazos. She entered the 
Pio Bravo without difficulty about eight a. ri., and some time 
after I rode down the beach. Colonel Wilson's command has 
been bivouacking for two days on our side of the mouth. We 
crossed them all over by twelve ; and before one p. i\i. the column 
was e?i route up the river. The banks of the river are but 
slightly higher than the surface of the water for some miles up. 



568 Taylor's despatch. 

The whole country low, and filled with lagoons. There is a 
high ridge of sand hills, some twenty feet high, extending up 
and down the coast directly on the beach. The country back 
of this ridge is one vast plain of prairie and lagoon. The road 
up the river is tolerably good. The river is very serpentine. 
The road runs from bend to bend, the distance by river being 
nearly double that by road. The road up the right bauk is 
skirted to the left and south by lagoons, until you reach Barita; 
so that a march of a column up this side is by no means exposed 
to a thick attack." 

Meanwhile active preparations were going forward for cross- 
ing the Rio Grande and attacking Matamoras. Owing to the 
scarcity of means for transportation this work went on but 
slowly ; and the arrangements necessary to meet the expected 
resistance, caused still further delay. On the 18th, however, 
the crossing was effected, though with the loss of Lieutenant 
Stephens, a beloved and deeply lamented officer. The particu- 
lars of this affair, together with the capture of Matamoras, we 
give in General Taylor's own words : 

"I have the honour to report that my very limited means of 
crossing rivers prevented a complete prosecution of the victories 
of the 9th instant. A ponton train, the necessity of which 
I exhibited to the department last year, would have enabled the 
army to have crossed on the evening of the battle, take this city, 
with all the artillery and stores of the enemy, and a great num- 
ber of prisoners. In short, to destroy entirely the Mexican 
army. But I was compelled to await the arrival of heavy mor- 
tars, with which to menace the town from the left bank, and 
also the accumulation of small boats. In the mean time, the 
enemy had somewhat recovered from the confusion of his flight, 
and ought still, with three thousand men left him, to have made 
a respectable defense. I made every preparation to cross the 
river above the town, while Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson made a 
diversion on the side of Barita, and the order of march was 
o-iven out for one o'clock yesterday, from the camp near Fort 
Brown, when I was waited upon by General Reguena, empow- 
ered by General Arista, commanding-in-chief the Mexican forces, 
to treat for an armistice until the government should finally 



TAYLOR S DESPATCH. 669 

settle the question. I replied to this, that an armistice was out of 
the question ; that a month since I had proposed one to General 
Ampudia, which was declined ; that circumstances were now 
changed ; that I was receiving large reinforcements, and could 
not now suspend operations which I had not invited nor pro- 
voked ; that the possession of Matamoras was a sine qua non ; 
that our troops would occupy the town ; bul that General Arista 
might withdraw his forces, leaving the public property of every 
description. 

"An answer to the above was promised in the afternoon, but 
none came ; and I repaired at sundown to join the army, already 
in position at a crossing some two miles above the town. Very 
early this morning the bank was occupied by two eighteen- 
pounders and three batteries of field artillery, and the crossing 
commenced : the light companies of all the battalions were first 
thrown over, followed by the volunteer and regular cavalry. No 
resistance was made, and I was soon informed from various 
quarters that Arista had abandoned the town, with all his troops, 
the evening before, leaving only the sick and wounded. I nii- 
mediately despatched a staff ofiicer to the prefect to demand a 
surrender ; and, in the mean time, a commission was sent by 
the prefect to confer with me on the same point. I gave assur- 
ance that the civil rights of the citizens would be respected, 
and our troops at once dropped down opposite the town, and 
crossed at the " Upper Ferry," the American flag being dis- 
played at Fort Paredes, a Mexican redoubt near the crossing. 
The different corps now encamped in the outskirts of the city. 
To-morrow I shall make suitable arrangements for the occupa- 
tion of the town, and for taking possession of the public pro- 
perty. More than three hundred of the enemy's wounded have 
been left in the hospitals. Arista is in full retreat towards Mon- 
terey, with the fragments of his army. 

" I deeply regret to report that Lieutenant George Stevens, a 
very promising young ofiicer, of the 2d dragoons, was accidentally 
drowned this morning ^vliile attempting to swim the river ^\"ith 
his squadron.'' 

During the night of the 17tli, General Arista, M-itli the troops 
left together after the battle of the 9th, had evacuated the city, 

3 IS 3 72 



570 CAPTURE OF MEXICAN TOWNS. 

and commenced a rapid march for the interior. He thus ex- 
cused his flight to his superior officer : 

" All the means of subsistence of this division being consumed, 
its activity paralyzed, and its artillery diminished, while that of 
the enemy has been greatly increased in the number of pieces 
and tlie calibre of his guns, in such a manner that, were he to 
open his fire, the city of Matamoras would be instantly destroyed, 
to the utter ruin of national and foreign interests, I have decided 
to retire from it, with the forces under my command, before be- 
ing summoned, and obliged to evacuate it with dishonour, which 
I shall thus avoid : for the march is slow, our pieces being 
drawn by oxen, and our munitions in carts. My object now is 
to defend the soil of those departments which have been intrusted 
to me; and, for tliat purpose, I am going to post myself at those 
points most convenient, and within reach of supplies, of which 
I will hereafter inform your highness, though your communica- 
tions must seek me by the road of China, or that of Linares. 
The step to ^vhich I have referred has saved the national honour; 
and I communicate it to your highness for yoin- information, re- 
commending you to secure the camp equipage, placing it in a 
convenient point, and preserving the sixteen-pounders in that 
city, to which, moreover, I will order a reinforcement." 

Colonel Twiggs was a])])ointed military governor of Matamo- 
ras, and by a just and energetic exercise of his functions, soon 
cleared the city of the lawless banditti that infested it, and re- 
stored order and confidence. The rights of the citizens were 
respected, and the people encouraged to look upon the Ameri- 
cans rather as friends than as invaders. Tliese pacific measures 
were furtlier strengthened by a proclamation of General Taylor 
in wliich he exhibited the tyranny of the Mexican authorities, 
and a desire of his government for a speedy and honourable ter- 
mination of all difficulties. 

Soon after the capture of this im]wrtant station, small jiarties 
took possession of the towns of Mior, Reynosa, and Camargo ; 
and thus the entire region of the Rio Grande was in possession 
of the Americans. But Taylor's difficulties were far greater 
than before. When Avriting to the governors of several states 
for reinforcements, he had explicitly stated his demand for but 



CORRESPONDENCE. 571 



eight regiments. But after receiving notice of his danger, these 
officers with a laudable zeal, hurried on reinforcements, to such 
an extent, that the general found himself utterly at a loss as to 
the manner of their disposal. His means of transportation were 
very limited ; and no satisfactory orders respecting his future 
course arrived from Washington. In a letter to the department 
dated June 3d, he says : 

" I am necessarily detained at this point for want of suitable 
transportation to carry on often si ve operations. There is not a 
steamboat at my command proper for the navigation of the Rio 
Grande ; and without water transportation, I consider it useless 
to attempt any extensive movement. Measures have been taken 
to procure boats of suitable draught and description, and one or 
two may now be expected. In the mean time, I propose to push 
a battalion of infantry as far as Reynosa, and occupy that town. 
For any operations in the direction of Monterey, it will be neces- 
sary to establish a large depot at C'amargo, which I shall lose 
no time in doing as soon as proper transports arrive, unless I 
receive counter-instructions from the department. 

" I trust the department will see that I could not possibly have 
anticipated the arrival of such heavy reinforcements from Louis- 
iana as are now here, and on their way hither. Without large 
means of transportation, this force will embarrass, rather than 
facilitate our operations. I cannot doubt that the department 
has already given instructions, based upon the change in our 
position since my first call for volunteers. 

" Our last accounts of Arista represent his force to be halted 
at Coma, an extensive hacienda on tJie Monterey road, about one 
hundred miles from this point. He has pickets covering the 
roads leading to Matamoras, with a view to cut off" all commu- 
nication with the interior. The departmental authorites have 
issued a decree denouncing as traitors all who liold intercourse 
with us, or with those who do so. I am, nevertheless, disposed 
to believe that in some quarters, at least, our presence is not 
imfavourably viewed. We have no intelligence from the city 
of Mexico." 

The uncertainty experienced even by government as to the 
manner of conducting the war, together with their imperfect 



572 CORRESPONDENCE. 

instructions to tlie general, will be seen from the following ex- 
tracts of a letter from the secretary of war, dated June 8th. 

" In my letter of the 28th ultimo, you were left to your own 
discretion and judgment as to the measures to be pursued before 
the end of the unfavourable season shall have passed, and it is 
not now intended to control that discretion. You best know 
what amount of force you will have under your command, and 
wdiat can be best accomplished with that force. 

" h is presumed you will hold both banks of the Rio Grande 
to a considcraljle distance from its mouth, and secure the unin- 
terupted use of that river for the transportation of supplies. I 
hope you will be able to take and hold in possession all places 
on it as high up as Laredo. 

" It is proper that I should advise you that a considerable force, 
which will be also under your command, will soon assemble at 
San Antonio de Bexar. The ultimate destination of this force 
is Chihuahua, if it should be determined that such an expedi- 
tion would have a favourable operation in the conduct of the 
war ; but it might be at once used to take and secure the several 
places on the Rio Grande. Though we have no despatch from 
you since those giving an account of the battles on the 8th and 
9tli of May, we have such information as induces the belief that 
you are in possession of Matamoras, and that you are not now 
threatened with any considerable Mexican force. It is desirable 
that you should find yourself in sufficient strength to capture 
and liold Monterey with your present force. You are apprized 
that large reinforcements are preparing to join you. Besides 
the regular forces now under your command, and which will be 
speedily augmented, you will soon have nearly twenty thousand 
volunteers, (including those to rendezvous at San Antonio de 
Bexar,) who are to serve for one year. Your determination as 
to immediate movements will, therefore, be somewhat influenced 
by the consideration of the additional force which will soon join 
you. 

" The president is desirous of rcceivin<i, and hopes soon to be 
favoured with, your views and suggestions in relation to the fall 
campaign. His determination is to have the war prosecuted with 
vi<Tour, and to em1)race in the objects to be compassed in that 



CORIIESPONDENCE. 573 

campaign, such as will dispose the enemy to desire an end of the 
war. Shall the campaign be conducted with the view of striking 
at the city of Mexico, or confined,- so far as regards the forces 
under your immediate command, to the northern provinces of 
Mexico ? Your vie^^■s on this point will, doubtless, have an im- 
portant iniluence upon the determination of the government here. 
Should our army penetrate far into the interior of Mexico, how are 
supplies to be obtained ? Can they be, to any considerable ex-, 
tent, drawn from the enemy's country, or must they be obtained 
from the United States? If the latter, what are the facilities 
and difficulties of transportation 1 These are very important 
questions, and the answers to them ^^"ill have an essential bear- 
ing in settling the plan and objects of the campaign ; and it is 
desired that you should express your views fully in regard to 
them. 

" Again : it is important to know your opinion of the descrip- 
tion of troops best adapted to operations in the interior of Mexico ; 
Vvdiat proportion should be infantry, artillery, and cavalry, &c. 
A peace must be conquered in the shortest space of time prac- 
ticable. Your views of the manner of doing it are requested. 
It is not doubted that you will push your advantages to the utmost 
extent it can be done, with the means at your command." 

Before receiving this letter, General Taylor defined his exact 
condition as follows. The letters are dated June 10th and 17th. 

" I beg leave earnestly to invite the attention of the depart- 
ment to the following points : 

" First. Tlie great influx of volunteers at Point Isabel. Five 
regiments certainly from Louisiana, numbering, say three thou- 
sand six hundred men, two regiments or battalions from Louis- 
ville and St. Louis, numbering, say twelve hundred more; 
several companies from Alabama, and I know not how many 
from Texas ; the latter now beginning to arrive. The volunteer 
troops, now under my orders, amount to nearly six thousand 
men. How far they may be increased without previous notifi- 
cation to me, it is impossible to tell. 

" Secondly. The entire want of the proper kind of transporta- 
tion to push my operations up the river. The boats on which I 
depended for this service wfere found to be nearly destroyed by 



574 CORRESPONDENCE. 

worms, and entirely unfit for the navigation of the river. At my 
instance, Major Thomas, on the 18th of May, required from 
Lieutenant- Colonel Hunt a boat of the proper description, and 
followed it up in a few days by a requisition for another. At 
the last dates from New Orleans no boat had been procured. 
Captain Sanders, of the engineers, was despatched by me to 
New Orleans, to assist in procuring suitable boats, but I have 
yet received no report from him. 

'' As I have previously reported, my operations are completely 
paralyzed by the want of suitable steamboats to navigate the 
Rio Grande. Since the ISth of May, the army has lain in camp 
near this place continually receiving heavy reinforcements of 
men, but no facility for water transport, without which additional 
numbers are but an embarrassment. 

" I desire to place myself right in this matter, and to let the 
department see that the inactivity of the army results from no 
neglect of mine. I must express my astonishment that such 
large reinforcements have been sent forward to join the army, 
without being accompanied by the means of transportation, both 
by land and water, to render them efficient. As matters now 
stand, whatever may be the expectations of the department, I 
cannot move from this place ; and unless Captain Sanders shall 
succeed in procuring boats of the j^roper kind, I can give no as- 
surance in regard to future operations." 

" No steamboats have been sent out from New Orleans for the 
navigation of the Rio Grande, and in the absence of all infor- 
mation on that point, or respecting the views of the government, 
I am altogether in the dark as to our future operations. I must 
think that orders have been given, by superior authority, to sus- 
pend the forwarding of means of transportation from New Or- 
leans. I cannot otherwise account for the extraordinary delay 
shown by the quartermaster's department in that city. Even 
the mails, containing probably important despatches from the 
government, are not expedited. 

" Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson has occupied Reynosa without 
opposition. What remains of the Mexican army is understood 
to be still at Linares, and has suffered from disease. General 
Torrejon has died, and Colonel Carasco, at last advices, was very 



PROMOTION OF TAYLOR. 



575 



ill. I learn that Generals Arista and Ampudia have gone to 
Mexico, probably for the trial of the former, or both. 

" Volunteer regiments have arrived from Lonisville and St. 
Louis, making, with those from Louisiana, eight strong and orga- 
nized battalions — mustering over five thousand men. 

" In addition, we have seven companies of Alabama volun- 
teers, and twelve or fifteen companies from Texas. Others from 
Texas are continually arriving. A portion of these volunteers 
has been lying in camp at this place for nearly a month, com- 
pletely paralyzed by the want of transportation. Exposed as 
they are in this climate to diseases of the camp, and without 
any prospect, so far as I can see, of being usefully employed, I 
must recommend that they be allowed to return to their homes. 

" I have despatched Captain McCulloch, a good partisan 
officer, in the direction of Linares, with his company, to gain 
information touching the numbers and position of the enemy, 
and the resources of the country." 

For his ability in conducting the campaign on the Rio Grande, 
General Taylor received the thanks of Congress and a commis- 
sion as brevet major-general, signed by the president. Soon 
after he was raised to a full major-general. The legislatures of 
several states voted him swords, and various demonstrations, 
both of popular meetings and official bodies, exhibited the con- 
fidence and gratitude of the people toward him. 




Mexican Gentlemon. 



576 



ARRIVAL OF SANTA ANNA. 



— ^o^^-^J 




CHAPTER IV. 

PON the 3d of August, 1846, a procla- 
mation was issued from the city of 
Mexico, declaring the constitution of 
1824 to be in force, and inviting all 
who had been banished ^rom the coun- 
try since its abohtion to return, "especially 
his excellency Don Antonio Lopez de Santa 
Anna, well deserving of his country, ac- 
knowledging him as general-in-chief of all 
the forces pledged and determined to fight, in order that the na- 
tion may recover its rights, secure its liberty, and govern itself." 
In virtue of this proclamation, General Santa Anna sailed from 
Cuba, passed through the American fleet, under permission 
from President Polk, and reached Vera Cruz on the 16th of 
August. Here he was hailed as the deliverer of the nation, and 
commenced immediate preparations for a march to the capital. 
His entry into tliat city was a perfect triumph ; and he was im- 
mediately appointed president of the republic under the consti- 
tution of 1824, and commander-in-chief of the army. 




SANTA ANNAS PREPARATIONS. 577 

This movement had arisen from the tyranny of Paredes. In- 
stead of concihating the different factions, he had banished or 
imprisoned all his opponents, suppressed the disaffected jonrnals, 
and conducted himself toward the people in a manner the most 
oppressive and despotic. Dissatisfaction and anarchy followed, 
opposition daily strengthened, and finally Paredes found himself 
embarrassed with insuperable difficulties. On the 2Sth of July, 
Vera Cruz declared for the exiled Santa Anna ; and three days 
after, the proclamation in his favour was issued. Paredes saw his 
fall, and, after making a desperate opposition, fled from the capi- 
tal, but was afterwards arrested and thrown into the castle of 
Perote. De Salas, his principal rival, immediately declared for 
Santa Anna, and held the government until his return. 

On assuming the reigns of government, Santa Anna adopted 
a system of measures as energetic as it was judicious. He re- 
established the federal government, united almost all opposition, 
pledged his private property for the general welfare, and began 
extensive preparations for the raising of a large army. He de- 
clined acting as civil governor, and placing himself at the head 
of the troops in the capital, marched toward the seat of war. 

Meanwdiile General Taylor was hastening preparations for a 
march into the interior ; but so great were his embarrassments, 
that the advance divisions under Butler and Twiggs were not 
able to start before the commencement of September. The 
general foUow^ed on the 5th, leaving General Patterson in com- 
mand on the Rio Grande. 

On the 19th he re^iclied the Walnut Springs, three miles from 
Monterey. 

The operations against Monterey were conducted by two di- 
visions, under Generals Taylor and Worth, each acting inde- 
pendent of the other. 

The former thus describes his own operations : 

"At two o'clock, p. M., on the '20th, the second division took up 
its march. It was soon discovered by officers who were recon- 
noitering the town, and communicated to General Worth, that 
its movement had been perceived and that the enemy uas 
throwing reinforcements towards the Bishop's Palace and the 
height which commands it. To divert his attention as far as 

3 C 73 



678 



STORMING OF MONTEREY. 




The American Army entering Marin, on its march to Monterey. 

practicable, the lirst division, under Brigadier-General Twii^gs, 
and field division of volunteers, under Major-General Butler, 
were displayed in front of the town until dark. Arrangements 
were made at the same time to place in battery during the night, 
at a suitable distance from the enemy's main work, the citadel, 
two twcnty-fom'-pounder howitzers, and a ten-inch mortar, with 
a view to open a fire on the following day, when I proposed to 
make a diversion in favour of General Worth's movement. The 
4th infantry covered this battery during the night. General 
Worth had, in the mean time, reached and occu]ned for the 
night a defensive position just without range of a battery above 
the Bishop's Palace, having made a rcconnoissance as far as the 
Saltillo road. 

" Early on the morning of the 2 1st, I received a note from 
General Worth, written at half-past nine o'clock the night 
before, suggesting what I had already intended, a strong diversion 
against the centre and left of the town, to favour his enterprise 
against the heights in rear. The infantry and artillery of the 
first division, and the field division of volunteers, were ordered 
under arms, and took the direction of the city, leaving one com- 
pany of each regiment as a camp guard. The 2d dragoons, 



TAYLORS DETAILED REPORT. 579 

under Lieutenant-Colonel May, and Colonel Wood's regiment 
of Texas mounted volunteers, under the immediate direction of 
General Henderson, were directed to the riglit to support Gene- 
ral Worth, if necessary, and to make an impression, if practicable, 
upon the upper quarter of the cit}^. Upon approachiui];' the mor- 
tar battery, the 1st and 3d regiments of infantry and battalio]i of 
Baltimore and Washington volunteers, with Captain Bragg' s 
field battery — the whole under the command of Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Garland — were directed towards the lower part of the town, 
with orders to make a strong demonstration, and carry one of the 
enemy's advanced works, if it could be done without too heavy 
loss. Major Mansfield, engineers, and Captain Williams and 
Lieutenant Pope, topographical engineers, accompanied this 
column. Major Mansfield being charged with its direction, and 
the designation of points of attack. In the mean time the mortar, 
served by Captain Ramsay, of the ordnance, and the howitzer 
battery under Captain Webster, 1st artillery, had opened their 
fire upon the citadel, which was deliberately sustained, and 
answered from the works. General Butler's division had now 
taken up a position in rear of this battery, when the discharges 
of artillery, mingled finally with a rapid fire of small arms, 
showed that Lieutenant Garland's command had become warmly 
engaged. I now deemed it necessary to support this attack, and 
accordingly ordered the 4th infantry and three regiments of 
General Butler's division to march at once by the left flank in 
the direction of the advanced work at the lower extremity of the 
town, leaving one regiment (1st Kentucky) to cover the mortar 
and howitzer battery. By some mistake two companies of the 
4th infantry did not receive this order, and consequentl}^ did not 
join the advance companies until some time afterwards. 

" Lieutenant-Colonel Garland's command had approached the 
to^\m in a direction to the right of the advanced work (No. 1.) 
at the north-eastern angle of the city, and the engineer ofiicer, 
covered by skirmishers, had succeeded in entering the subiuijs 
and staining' cover. The remainder of this command now ad- 
vanced and entered the town under a heavy fire of artillery from 
the citadel and the works on the left, and of musketry from the 
houses and small works in front. A movement to the right was 



580 



Taylor's detailed eeport. 




8torinins of Fort Teneria. 



attempted with a view to i^^ain the rear of No. 1, and carry tliat 
worlv, but the troops were so much exposed to a hre which they 
could not eflectually return, and had already sustained such 
severe loss, particularly in officers, that it was deemed best to 
withdraw them to a more secure position. Captain Backus, 1st 
infantry, however, with a portion of his own and other com- 
panies, had gained the roof of a tannery, which looked directly 
into the gorge of No. 1, and from which he poured a most 
destructive fire into that work and u]wn the strong building in 
its rear. This fire happily coincided in point of time with the 
advance of a portion of the volunteer division upon No. 1, and 
contributed largely to the fall of that strong and important w^ork. 
" The three regiments of the volunteer division, under the 
immediate command of Major-General Butler, had in tlie mean 
time advanced in the direction of No. 1. The leading brigade, 
imder Brigadier-General Quitman, continued its advance upon 
that work, preceded by three companies of the 4th infantry, 
while General Butler, Avith the lirst Ohio regiment entered the 
town to the right. The companies of the 4th infantry had ad- 
vanced within short range of the work, when they were received 
by a fire that almost, in one moment, struck down one-third of 



TAYLOR S DETAILED REPORT. 581 

the officers and men, and rendered it necessary to retire and 
effect a conjunction with the two other companies then advancing. 
General Quitman's brigade, though suffering most severely, 
particularly in the Tennessee regiment, continued its advance, 
and finally carried the work in handsome style, as well as the 
strong building in its rear. Five pieces of artillery, a consider- 
able supply of ammunition, and thirty prisoners, including three 
officers, fell into their hands. Major-General Butler, with the 
1st Ohio regiment, after entering the edge of the town, discovered 
that nothing was to be accomplished in his front, and at this 
point, yielding to the suggestion of several officers, I ordered a 
retrograde movement; but learning almost immediately, from 
one of my staff, that the battery No. 1 was in our possession, 
the order was countermanded ; and I determined to hold the 
battery and defenses already gained. General Butler, with the 
1st Ohio regiment, then entered the town at a point farther to 
the left, and marched in the direction of the battery No. 2. 
"While making an examination, with a view to ascertain the 
possibility of carrying this second work by storm, the general 
was wounded, and soon after compelled to quit the field. As the 
strength of No. 2, and the heavy musketry hre Hanking the ap- 
proach, rendered it impossible to carry it w^ithout great loss, the 
1st Ohio regiment was withdrawn from the town. 

" Fragments of the various regiments engaged were now under 
cover of the captured battery, and some buildings in its front, 
and on the right. The field batteries of Captains Bragg and 
Ridgely were also partially covered by the battery. An inces- 
sant fire was Ivcpt up on this position from battery No. 2, and 
other works on its rights and from the citadel on all our ap- 
proaches. General Twiggs, though quite unwell, joined me at 
this point, and was instrumental in causing the artillery captured 
from the enemy to be placed in battery, and served by Captain 
Ridgely against No. 2, until the arrival of Captain Webster's 
howitzer battery, which took its place. In the mean time, I 
directed such men as could be collected of the 1st, 3d, and 4th 
regiments, and Baltimore battalion, to enter the town, penetrating 
to the right, and carry the 2d battery if possible. This com- 
mand, under Lieutenant-Colonel Garland, advanced beyond the 

3c 2 



58^ 



Taylor's detailed heport. 




Storming of Monterey. 

bridge " Purisima," when, finding it impracticable to gain the 
rear of the 2d battery, a portion of it sustained themselves for 
some time in that advanced position ; but as no permanent im- 
pression could be made at that point, and the main object of the 
general operation had been effected, the command, including a 
section of Captain Ridgely's battery, which had joined it, was 
withdrawn to battery No. 1. During the absence of this column, 
a demonstration of cavalry was reported in the direction of the 
citadel. Captain Bragg, who was at hand, immediately galloped 
with his battery to a suitable position, from which a few dis- 
charges effectually dispersed the enemy. Captain Miller, 1st 
infantry, was despatched with a mixed command to support the 
battery on this service. The enemy's lancers had previously 
charged upon the Ohio and part of the Mississippi regiment, 
near some fields at a distance from the edge of the town, and had 
been repulsed with a considerable loss. A demonstration of 
cavalry on the opposite side of the river was also dispersed in 
the course of the afternoon l)y Captain Ilidgely's battery, and the 
squadrons returned to the city. At the approach of evening, all 
the troops that had been engaged were ordered back to camp, 
except Captain Ridgely's battery, and the regular infantry of the 



Taylor's detailed report. 6S3 

first division, who were detailed as a guard for the works during 
the night, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Garland. 
One battalion of the 1st Kentucky regiment was- ordered to 
reinforce this command. Intrenching tools were procured, and 
additional strength was given to the works, and protection to the 
men, by worlving parties during the night, under the direction 
of Lieutenant Scarritt, engineers. 

" The main object proposed in the morning had beea effected. 
A powerful diversion had been made to favour the operations of 
the 2d division, one of the enemy's advanced works had been 
carried, and we now had a strong foothold in the town. But 
this had not been accomplished without a heavy loss, embracing 
some of our gallant and promising officers. The number of 
killed and wounded incident to the operations in the lower part 
of the city on the 21st is three hundred and ninety-four. 

" Early in the morning of this day, (21st,) the advance of the 
2d division had encountered the enemy in force, and after a 
brief but sharp conflict, repulsed him with heavy loss. General 
Worth then succeeded in gaining a position on the Saltillo road, 
thus cutting the enemy's line of communication. From this 
position the two heights south of the Saltillo road were carried 
in succession, and the gim taken in one of them turned upon the 
Bishop's Palace. These important successes were fortunately 
obtained with comparatively small loss ; Captain McKavett, Sth 
infantry, being the only officer killed. 

"The 22d day of September passed without any active opera- 
tions in the lower part of the city. Tlie citadel and other works 
continued to fire at parties exposed to their range, and at the 
work now occupied by our troops. The guard left in it the pre- 
ceding night, except Captain Ridgely's company, was relieved 
at midday hy General Quitman's brigade. Captain Bragg's 
battery was thrown under cover in front of the to\\'n to repel 
any demonstration of cavalry in that quarter. At dawn of day, 
the height above the Bishop's Palace was carried, and soon after 
meridian, the palace itself was taken and its guns turned upon 
the fugitive garrison. The object for which the 2d division was 
detached had thus been completely accomplished, and I felt 
confident that with a strong force occupying the road and heights 



584 Taylor's detailed report. 

in his rear, and a good jiosition below the city in our possession, 
the enemy could not possibly maintain the town. 

" During the night of the 22d, the enemy evacuated nearly all 
his defenses in the lower part of the city. This was reported to 
me early in the morning of the 23d by General Quitman, who 
had already meditated an assault upon tliose works. I immedi- 
ately sent instructions to that officer, leaving it to his discretion 
to enter the city, covering his men by the houses and walls, and 
advance carefully as far as he might deem prudent. After 
ordering the remainder of the troops as a reserve, under the 
orders of Brigadier-General Twiggs, I repaired to the abandoned 
works, and discovered that a portion of General Quitman's 
brigade had entered the town, and were successfully forcing 
their way towards the principal plaza. I then ordered up the 
2d regiment of Texas mounted volunteers, who entered the city, 
dismounted, and, under the immediate orders of General Hen- 
derson, co-operated with General Quitman's brigade. Captain 
Bragg's battery was also ordered up, supported by the 3d in- 
fantry ; and after tiring for some time at the cathedral, a portion 
of it was likewise thrown into the city. Our troops advanced 
from house to house, and from square to square, until they 
reached a street but one square in rear of the principal plaza, in 
and near which the enemy's force was mainly concentrated. 
This advance was conducted vigorously, but with due caution, 
and although destructive to the enemy, was attended with bu^ 
small loss on our part. Ca]:)tain Ridgely, in the mean time, had 
served a captured piece in battery No. 1, against the city, until 
the advance of our men rendered it imprudent to fire in the 
direction of the cathedral. I was now satisfied that we could 
operate successfully in the city, and that the enemy had retired 
from the lower portion of it to make a stand behind his barri- 
cades. As General Quitman's brigade had been on duty the 
previous night, I detennined to withdraw the troops to the 
evacuated works, and concert with General Worth a combined 
attack upon the town. The troops accordingly fell back de- 
liberately, in good order, and resumed their original positions. 
General Quitman's brigade being relieved after nightfall by that 
of General Hamcr. On my retunivto camp, I met an officer 



TAYLOR S DETAILED REPORT. 585 

with the intelligence that General Worth, induced by the firino- 
in the lower part of the city, was about making an attack at the 
upper e.vtreniity, which had also been, evacuated by the enemy 
to a considerable distance. I regretted that this information had 
not reached me before leaving the city, but still deemed it inex- 
pedient to change my orders, and accordingly returned to the 
camp. A note from General Worth, written at eleven o'clock, 
p. M., informed me that he had advanced to within a short dis- 
tance of the principal plaza, and that the mortar (which had been 
sent to his division in the morning) was doing good execution 
within eifective range of the enemy's position. 

"Desiring to make no further attempt upon the city without 
complete concert as to the lines and mode of approach, I in- 
structed that officer to suspend his advance until I could have 
an interview with him on the following morning at his head- 
quarters. 

" Early on the morning of the 24th, I received, through Colo- 
nel Moreno, a communication from General Ampudia, proposin'"- 
to evacuate the town ; which, with the answer, -were for^varded 
with my first despatch. I arranged with Colonel Moreno, a 
cessation of fire until twelve o'clock, at which liour I would re- 
ceive the ansA^'er of the Mexican general at General Worth's 
head-quarters, to which I soon repaired. In the mean time, 
General Ampudia had signified to General Worth his desire for 
a personal interview with me, to which I acceded, and which 
finally resulted in a capitulation, placing the town and the 
materiel of war, with certain exceptions, in our possession. A 
copy of that capitulation was transmitted with my first despatch. 

" Upon occupying the city, it was discovered to be of great 
strength in itself, and to have its apji roaches carefully and 
strongly fortified. The town and A\'orks vv^ere armed with forty- 
two pieces of cannon, well supplied with ammunition, and 
manned with a force of at least seven thousand troops of the line, 
and from two to three thousand irregulars. The force under my 
orders before Monterey, as exliibited by the accompanying re- 
tur]i, was four liundred and twenty-five officers, and six thousand 
two hinidred and twenty men. Our artillery consisted of one 
ten-incli mortar, two twenty-four-pounder howitzers, aud four 



586 



STORMING OF MONTEREY. 




The Bishop's Palace. 

light field batteries of four guns each — the mortar being the only 
piece suitable to the operations of a siege. 

" Our loss is twelve officers and one hundred and eight men 
killed , thirty-one officers and three hundred and thirty-seven 
men wounded. That of the enemy is not known, but is be- 
iie\ed considerably to exceed our own." 

At noon of the 20th, General Worth marched from the camp, 
east of the town, in the direction of the heights west, McCul- 
loch's and Gillispie's companies of rangers forming the recon- 
noitering party. At night, the division liivouacked almost within 
range of the guns stationed upon tlic highest point of the hill 
on which tlie Bishop's Palace is situated. At daylight of the 
21st, the column was again in motion, and, in a few moments, 
was turning the point of a ridge, which protruded out toward 
the enemy's guns, bringing us as near to them as their gunners 
could desire. They immediately opened upon the column with 
a howitzer and twelve-pounder, firing shell and round-shot as 
fast as they coidd discharge their pieces. 

The road now wound in toward a gorge, but not far enough 
to be out of range of their guns, which still played upon us. 
Another ridge lay al)Out three-quarters of a mile beyond the 



s T o R ]\r I X a OF i\[ o x t e r e y. 587 



first, around the termination of -wliicli the road wound, bringing- 
it under the lofty summit of a height which rises between Palace 
Hill and the mountains, which arise over us on the west. When 
the head, of the column approached this ridge, a body of Mexi- 
can cavalry came dashing around that point to charge upon our 
advance. Captain Gillespie immediately ordered his men to 
dismount and place themselves in ambush. The enemy evi- 
dently did not perceive this manoeuver; but the moment they 
came up, the Texans opened upon them a most destructive fire, 
unsaddling a number of them. McCulloch's company now dashed 
into them. Captain C. F. Smith's camp, and Captain Scott's 
camp of artillery, (acting as infantry,) and Lieutenant Longstreet's 
company of the Sth infantry, with another company of the same 
regiment, likewise charged upon the enemy. The Texan horse- 
men were soon engaged with them in a sort of hand to hand 
skirmish, in which a number of 1»hem fell, and one Texan was 
killed and two wounded. 

Colonel Duncan now opened upon them with his battery of 
light artillery, pouring a few discharges of grape upon them, 
and scattering them like chaff. Several men and horses fell 
under this destructive fire. One horse and his rider bounded 
some feet into the air, and both fell dead and tumbled down the 
steep. The foot companies above named then rushed up the 
steep, and fired over the ridge at the retreating enemy, a consi- 
derable body of whom were concealed from our view, around 
the point of the hill. About thirty of the enemy were killed in 
this slvirmish, and among them a captain, who, with two or three 
others, fell in the road. The captain was wounded in three 
places, the last shot hitting him in the forehead. He fought 
gallantly to the last. 

The light batteries, one of which was commanded by Lieute- 
nant Mackall, were now driven upon the slope of the ridge, and 
the howitzers opened upon the height of Palace Hill. A few 
shots only were thrown, before the enemy commenced firing 
with a nine-pounder from the height immediately over the right 
of the column, aiming at Duncan's batteries. The several regi- 
ments took positions, and a few more sliells were thrown towards 
Palace Hill, but did no execution. The nine-poimder continued 



588 . STORMING OF MONTEREY. 

to throw its shot with great precision at our batteries, one ball 
falling directly in the midst of the ])icces, but, fortimately, hit- 
ting neither men nor guns. Finding his l)atteries thus exposed, 
and unaljle to effect any thing, Colonel Duncan removed his 
command to a rancho about half a mile further up the Saltillo 
road, -wdiere General Worth took up his position, after ordering 
the foot regiments to form along the fence near the point of the 
ridge. Tlie artillery battalion, 5ih, 7th, and 8th infontry, and 
the Louisiana volunteers, remained in this position about two 
hours, directly under lire of the enemy's guns. 

At half-past ten, the column moved towards the general's 
position. At this time. Captain McKavett, of tlie 8tli infmtry, 
was shot through the heart by a nine-pound ball, and a private 
of the 5th infantry was severely wounded in tlie thigh, and he 
died the next morning. Aljout iifty Mexicans now a])peared 
upon the side hill over the ftioving column, and lircd at our 
troojis some hundred musket-shot, without doing any harm. 
The division de})loyed into the position pointed out, and remained 
an hour or two, when Captain C. F. Smith, of the artillery bat- 
talion, with his own company, and Captain Scott's, together 
with four companies of Texan Rangers on foot, were ordered to 
storm die second height. This the gallant officer cheerfully 
undertook, and was followed with enthusiasm by the officers 
and men of his command. It was considered on all sides to he 
a dangerous undertaking, and his party was regarded most em- 
phatically as a forlorn hope. That the height would be taken 
no one doubted, but that many brave fellows woidd fall in tlie 
attempt seemed inevitable. The distance to be climbed, after 
reacliing the foot of the hill, was aljout a quarter of a mile ; a 
part of the w^ay almost perpendicular, through thorn-bushes and 
over sharp-pointed rocks and loose sliding stones. 

The 7th infantry, commanded by Captain Miles, was ordered 
to support Captain Smith's party, and by marching directly to 
the foot of the height, arrived before Captain Smith, who had 
been ordered to take a circuitous route.- Captain Miles sent up 
Lieutenant Gantt, with a detachment of men upon the hill-side, 
to divert the attention of the enemy from Captain Smith's com- 
mand, which could not yet be seen. The 7th lind already sus- 



STORMING OF MONTEREY. 



589 



tainecl a heavy fire of grape and round-shot, as they forded the 
San Juan, which winds round the foot of the height, and which 
fell like a shower of hail in their ranks without killing a man. 
Lieutenant Gantt's party were greeted ^^-ith graj^ie and round- 
shot, which cut the shrubs, and tore up the loose stones about 
the ranks, without killing any one ; but the gallant young oflicer 
came within an inch of being killed by a cannon-sliot, which ran 
down the steep and filled his face with fragments of rock, dust, 
and gravel. The fire was accompanied by a constant discharge 
of musketry, the enemy covering the upper part of the hill-side ; 
but the detachment continued to move up, driving the IMexicans 
back, until they were recalled. 

Captain Smith's party now arrived and moved up the hill, 
the rangers in advance, and did not halt for an instant until the 
Mexicans were driven from the summit. Whilst this was 
going on. Colonel Persifer F. Smith, who commanded the 5th 
and 7th infantry — the 5th, with Blan chard's Louisiana boys, 
under Major Martin Scott, had been ordered to support the 
whole^gave orders for these commands to pass around on each 
side and storm the fort, which was situated about half a mile 
back of the summit on the same ridge, and commanded the 
Bishop's Palace. Such a foot-race as now ensued has seldom 
if ever been seen ; the Louisiana boys making tremendous 
strides to be in with the foremost. Captain Smith had the gun 
which he took upon the height, run down towards the breast- 
works, and fired into it. Then came Colonel P. F. Smith's men 
with a perfect rush, firing and cheering — the 5th and 7th, and 
Louisianians, reaching the ridge above nearly at the same time. 
The Mexicans fired us with grape, but it did not cause an in- 
stant's hesitation in our ranks. Our men ran, and fired, and 
cheered until they reached the work, the foremost entering at 
one end, while the Mexicans, about a thousand in number, left 
the other in retreat. The colours of the 5th infantry were in- 
stantly raised, and scarcely were they up before those of the 7tri 
were alongside. The three commands entered the fort together 
— so close was the race — the 5th a little in advance. J. W. 
Miller, of Blanchard's company, was among the first four or five 
who entered. The three commands may be said to have come 

3D 



590 sTorv:\iiNG of Monterey. 



out even in the race, for the 7th was not five seconds behind. 
In less than five minutes the gun found in tlie fort was thunder- 
ing; awav at the Bislio[)'s Pahice. 

On the morning of the '21st, Cokmel Childs, of tlie artillery 
battalion, with three of his companies — one commanded by 
('aptain Vinton, another by Cnptain J. B. Scott, and the third 
by Lieutenant Ayres — and three companies of the 8th infantry — 
company A, commanded by Lieutenants Longstreet and Wain- 
wright ; company B, hy Lieutenants Halloway and Merchant ; 
company D, by Captain Scrivner and Lieutenant Montgomery 
— were ordered to take the summit of Palace Hill. 

The colonel left the camp at three o'clock, a. m., and climljed 
the mountain througli the chaparral, and up the steep rocks, 
with such secrecy, that at daybreak he was within one hun- 
dred yards of the breastwork of sandl^ags before he was disco- 
vered. Three of the artillerymen having rushed ahead too fast, 
found themselves in the hands of the Mexicans. Tliey sur- 
rendered, and were shot down with the very pieces they had 
given up. 

Colonel Staniford went up at daylight with the balance of the 
8th, and Major Scott led up the 5th. The Louisiana troops 
were on the hill, with the 5th, at eight o'clock, a. m. One of 
Duncan's howitzers, in charge of Lieutenant Rowland, was 
dragged up, or rather lifted up, and opened on the palace, which 
was filled wdth troops. The Mexicans charged on the howitzer, 
but were driven back. A constant firing was kept up for seve- 
ral hours, particularly by Blanchard's men, who left a dozen 
Mexicans dead upon the hill-side. At length a charge was 
ordered, and our men rushed down upon the palace, entered a 
hole in a door that had been blocked uj), but opened by the 
howitzer, and soon cleared the work of the few Mexicans who 
remained. Lieutenant Ayres was the lucky one who first 
reached the halyards and lowered the flag. One eighteen-pound 
brass piece, a beautiful article, manufactured in Liverpool in 
1842, and a short brass twelve-pound howitzer, were captured, 
with a large quantity of ammunition, and some muskets and 
lances. 

The fort adjoining the palace walls is not complete, but is 



STORMING OF MONTEREY. 



591 




street Fight on General Worth's side. 



very neatly constructed as far as it is built. The killed on our 
side, in taking the palace, were seven — wounded, twelve. Lieu- 
tenant Wainwright was wounded in the side and arm by a 
musket-ball. Colonel Childs, Captain Vinton, Captain Blanch- 
ard. Lieutenant Longstreet, Lieutenant Clark, (adjutant of the 
&th,) Lieuteuant Ayres, Lieutenant McCown, and the two 
Nicholls, seem to have been the heroes of the day. The two 
latter performed prodigies, and not only Judge Nicholls, but old 
Louisiana may well be proud of such sons. The Mexicans lost 
at least thirty killed. 

On the next day, the whole division under General Worth 
entered the town on the west side, and fought their way through 
the streets. The heart of the city was nothing but one fortifica- 
tion, tlie thick Willis being pierced for muskets and cannon, and 
placed so as to ralvc the principal streets. The roofs being flat, 
and the front walls rising three or four feet above the roof, of 
course every street had a line of breastworks on each side. A 
ten-inch mortar came around from General Taylor, and was 
placed in the largest plaza, to which our troops fought step by 
step and from house to house. General Worth gained all the 
strongholds that commanded the city, and pushed the enemy as 



592 TERMS OF CAPITULATION. 



far as they could go without Mhng into General Taylor's hands on 
the other side of the city. All this was done with the loss of 
only about seventy killed and wounded. 

On the evening of the 23d, General Ampudia requested of 
the American commander that the women and children inijxht 
be allowed to remove from the city, with their personal effects. 
This was refused. On the following morning, a proposal was 
offered, of surrendering the city on condition that the Mexicans 
might retain all the personal and military pro})erty belonging to 
it. This was refused but at the same time each o-eneral named 
commissioners to negotiate a capitulation. A personal interview 
subserpiently took place between Taylor and Ampudia, and 
Monterey finally surrendered on the following terms. 

Art. 1. As the legitimate result of the operations before this 
place, and the present position of the contending armies, it is 
agreed that the city, the fortifications, cannon, the munitions (jf 
w^ar, and all other public property, with the under-mentioned 
exceptions, be surrendered to the commanding general of the 
United States forces now at Monterey. 

Art. 2. That the Mexican forces be allowed to retain the fol- 
lowing arms, to wit : the commissioned officers their side arms, 
the infantry their arms and accoutrements, the cavalry their 
arms and accoutrements, the artillery one field battery, not to 
exceed six pieces, with twenty-one rounds of ammunition. 

Art. 3. Tliat the Mexican armed forces retire within seven 
days from this date, beyond the line formed l^y the pass of the 
Kinconada, the city of .Linares, and San Fernando de Presas. 

Art. 4. That the citadel at Monterey be evacuated by the 
Mexican, and occupied by the American forces, to-morrow 
morning at ten o'clock. 

Art. 5. To avoid collisions, and for mutual convenience, 
that the troops of the United States will not occupy the city until 
the Mexican forces have withdrawn, except for hospital and 
storage purposes. 

Art. 6. That the forces of the United States will not advance 
beyond the line specified in the 2d [3d] article, before the expi- 
ration of eio:ht weeks, or until the orders or instructions of the 
respective governments can be received. 



TERMS OF CAPITULATION. 



593 



Art. 7. Tliat the public property to be delivered shall be 
turned over and received by officers appointed by the command- 
ing generals of the two armies. 

Art. 8. That all doubts as to the meaning of any of the pre- 
ceding articles shall be solved by an equitable construction, and 
on principles of liberality to the retiring army. 

Art. 9. That the Mexican flag, when struck at the citadel, 
may be saluted by its own battery. 

Monterey became the main depot of General Taylor. It is 
an excellent city for the head-quarters of an army, being pro- 
vided with every kind of defense, vast magazines for supplies, 
hospitals, stores, and good water. Soon after General Wool 
with the central division of the army, arrived at Monclova, from 
his famous march against Chihuahua. He was ordered with 
twenty-four hundred men and six field-pieces to Parras ; and 
General Worth whli twenty-five hundred men and eight pieces 
to Saltillo. Both these places were occupied without opposition. 




Worth at Monterey. 



3i)2 



75 



594 



SANTA anna's PREPARATIONS. 







CHAPTER V. 



I at tie ©f Miienu li'lgta. 




WEEK before the capture of Monterey, Santa 
Anna had received the appomtment of mihtary 
dictator, and immediately proceeded to San Luis 
Potosi, to hasten the raising- of an efficient army. 
In November he found himself at the head of 
twenty thousand men, most of them raw recruits, and 
poorly equipped . It was his wish to clothe and discipline 
this force before marching against Taylor, but such was 
the popular clamour for immediate act ion, that faction began 
again to show herself. Some even denounced him as a traitor. 
Accordingly the general was obliged to sacrifice his sujierior 
judgment to the popular will, and in the same month we find 
him proceeding slowly toward his opponent's camp. 



TAYLOR SUMMONED TO SURRENDER. 595 

About this time General Taylor received a letter from the 
war department, announcing that the terms of capitulation at 
Monterey, had not met the approval of government, and di- 
recting him immediately to recommence hostilities. This he 
announced to Santa Anna, requestiug at the same time the 
release of some prisoners detained at San Luis. The Mexican 
commander answered in a courteous manner, acknowledging 
the end of the truce, and liberated the prisoners, paying the 
expenses of their journey. 

On the 15th of December, Taylor marched to meet his enemy. 
Information had been received that General Urrea, with a larc^e 
body of cavalry, was threatening Victoria ; and that Santa Anna 
with the main army was rapidly approaching Saltillo. General 
Patterson was in command at this place ; and anxious for his 
safety, the commander sent General Quitman to join him with 
a reinforcement, and with the main army fell back to Monterey. 
But at this time Wool entered Saltillo with fresh troops, enabling 
General Taylor again to advance toward Victoria, which he 
reached on the 30th. At this place he received a letter from 
General Scott, requesting nearly all his regular troops for the 
campaign on the gulf coast, thus again forcing him to retire to 
Monterey. Here he remained until February, wdien the arrival 
of volunteers, swelling his force to five thousand men, enabled 
him again to press forward. 

On the 2d of this month, General Santa Anna left San Luis 
Potosi, at the head of twenty-three thousand men, and after a 
march in whicli his troops sustained difficulties of the most appal- 
ling nature, he approached General Taylor's position [February 
20th] at Agua Nueva. On the same day the latter broke up 
his camp, and retired to a strong mountain pass, called Angostura, 
three miles from tlie hacienda of Buena Vista. While remov- 
ing some stores a small party of Americans was defeated hy the 
Mexicans ; and at noon on the 22d, General Taylor was sum- 
moned to surrender. We give his own account of the subse- 
quent operations : 

" Our troops were in position, occupying a line of remarkable 
strength. The road at its point becomes a narrow defile, the 
valley on its right being rendered quite impracticable for artillery 



596 AMERICAN LINE OF BATTLE. 

by a system of deep and impassable gulleys, while on the left a 
succession of rng-gcd ridges and precipitous ravines extend far 
back toward the mountain which bounds the valley. The 
features of the ground were such as nearly to paralyze the 
artillery and cavalry of the enemy, while his infantry could not 
derive all the advantage of its numerical superiority. In this 
position we prepared to receive him. Captain Washington's 
battery (4tli artillery) was posted to command the road, Avhile 
the 1st and 2d Illinois regiments, under Colonels Hardin and 
Bissell, each eight companies, (to the latter of which was attached 
Captain Conner's company 'of Texas volunteers,) and the 2d 
Kentucky, under Colonel McKee, occupied the crests of the 
ridges on the left and in rear. The Arkansas and Kentucky 
regiments of cavalry, commanded by Colonels Yell and H. 
Marshall, occupied the extreme left near the base of the moun- 
tain, while the Indiana Ijrigade, under Brigadier-General Lane, 
(composed of the 2d and 3d regiments, under Colonels Bowles 
and Lane,) the Mississippi riflemen, under Colonel Davis, the 
squadrons of the 1st and 2d dragoons, under Captain Steen and 
Lieutenant-Colonel May, and the light batteries of Captains 
Sherman and Bragg, 3d artillery, were held in reserve. 

" At eleven o'clock I received from General Santa Anna a 
summons to surrender at discretion, which, with a copy of my 
reply, I have already transmitted. The enemy still forbore liis 
attack, evidently waiting for the arrival of liis rear columns, 
which could be distinctly seen hy our look'-outs as they ap- 
proached the Held. A demonstration made on his left caused 
me to detach the 2d Kentucky regiment and a section of artil- 
lery to our right, in which position they bivouacked for the 
night. In the mean time the Mexican light troops had engaged 
ours on the extreme left (composed of parts of the Kentucky 
and Arkansas cavalry, dismounted, and a rifle battalion from the 
Indiana brigade, under Major Gorman, the whole commanded 
by Colonel Marshall,) and kept up a sharp fire, climbing the 
mountain side, and apparently endeavouring to gain our flanlv. 
Three pieces of Captain Washington's battery had been de- 
tached to tlie left, and were supported Ijy the 2d Indiana regi- 
ment. An occasional shell was thrown by the enemy into this 



BATTLE OF BUEXA VISTA. 



597 



part of our line, but without oHoct. Tlie skirmisliiug of the 
light troops was kept up with trilling loss on our part until dark, 
when I Ijecanie convinced that no serious attack would be made 
before the morning, and returned, with the Mississippi regi- 
ment and squadron of 2d dragoons, to Saltillo. The troops 
bivouacked without fires, and laid upon their arms. A body of 
cavalry, some fifteen hiuidred strong, had been visible all day 
in rear of the town, having entered the valley through a narrow 
pass east of the city. This cavalry, commanded by General 
Minon, had evidently been thrown in our rear to break up and 
harass our retreat, and perhaps make some attempt against the 
town if practicable. The city was occupied by four excellent 
companies of Illinois volunteers, under Major Warren of the 1st 
regiment. A field-work, which commanded most of the ap- 
proaches, was garrisoned by Captain Webster's company, 1st 
artillerv, and armed with two twenty-four-pound howitzers, 
wdiile the train and head-quarter camp was guarded by two 
companies of Mississippi riflemen, under Captain Rogers, and a 
field-piece commanded by Captain Sliover, 3d artillery. Having 
made these dispositions for the protection of the rear, I proceeded 
on the morning of the 23d to Buena Vista, ordering forward all 
the other available troops. The action had commenced before 
my arrival on the field. 

" During the evening and night of the 22d, the enemy had 
thrown a body of light troops on the mountain side, with the 
purpose of outflanlving our left ; and it was here that the action 
of the 23d connnenced at an early hour. Our riflemen, under 
Colonel Marshall, who had been reinforced by three companies 
under Major Trail, 2d Illinois volunteers, maintained their 
ground handsomely against a greatly superior force, holding 
themselves under cover, and using their weapons with deadly 
effect. About eight o'clock a strong demonstration was made 
against the centre of our position, a heavy column moving along 
the road. This force was soon dispersed by a few rapid and 
well-directed shots from Captain Washington's battery. In the 
mean time the enemy was concentrating a large force of infantry 
and cavalry under cover of the ridges, with the obvious intention 
of forcing our left, which was posted on an extensive plateau. 



598 BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 

The 2d Indiana, and 2d Illinois regiments formed this part of 
our line, the former covering three pieces of light artillery, under 
the orders of Captain O'Brien — Brigadier-General Lane being in 
the immediate command. In order to bring his men within 
effective range, General Lane ordered the artillery and 2d Indi- 
ana regiment forward. The artillerj^ advanced within musket 
range of a heavy body of Mexican infantry, and was served 
aofainst it with Q-rcat effect, but without being able to check its 
advance. The infantry ordered to its su])port had fallen back 
in disorder, being exposed, as well as the batter}^, not only to a 
severe fire of small arms from the front, 1}ut also to a murderous 
cross-lire of grape and canister from a Mexican battery on the 
left. Captain O'Brien found it im]")ossible to retain his position 
without support, but was only ahlc to withdraw two of his 
pieces, all the horses and cannoneers of the third piece being 
killed or disabled. The 2d Indiana regiment, which had fallen 
back as stated, could not be rallied, and took no further part in 
the action, except a handful of men, who, under its gallant colo- 
nel, Bowles, joined the Mississippi regiment, and did good ser- 
vice, and those fugitives, who, at a later period in the day, 
assisted in defending the train and depot at Buena Vista. This 
portion of our line having given way, and tlie enemy appearing 
in overwhelming force against our left flank, the light troops 
which had rendered such good service on the mountain were 
compelled to withdraw^ which they did, for the most })art, in 
good order. Many, however, were not rallied until they 
reached the depot at Buena Vista, to the defense of which they 
afterwards contribu ted . 

'* Colonel BisseU's regiment, (2d Illinois,) which had been 
joined by a section of Captain Sherman's Ijattery, had become 
completely outflanked, and was compelled to fall back, being 
entirely unsupported. Tlie enemy was now pouring masses of 
infantry and cavalry along the Ijase of the mountain on our left, 
and was gaining our rear in great force. At this moment I 
arrived upon the field. The Mississippi regiment had been 
directed to the left before reaching the position, and immediately 
came into action against the Mexican infmtry which liad turned 
our flank. The 2d Kentucky regiment, and a section of artil- 



BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA 




Battle of Biiena Vista. 



lery under Captain Bragg, had previously been ordered from 
the right to reinforce our left, and arrived at a most opportune 
moment. That regiment, and a portion of the 1st Illinois, under 
Colonel Hardin, gallantly drove the enemy, and recovered a 
portion of the ground we had lost. The batteries of Captains 
Sherman and Bragg were in position on the plateau, and did 
much execution, not only in front, but particularly upon tlie 
masses which had gained our rear. Discovering that the enemy 
was heavily pressing upon the Mississippi regiment, the 3d Indi- 
ana regiment, under Colonel Lane, Avas despatclied to strengthen 
thtit part of our line, which formed a crotchet perpendicular to 
the first lino of battle. At the same time Lieutenant Kilburn, 
with a piece of Captain Bragg's battery, w^as directed to support 
the infantry there engaged. The action was, for a long time, 
warmly sustained at that point — the enemy malving several 
efforts, both with infantry and cavalry, against our line, and 
being always repulsed with heavy loss. I had placed all the 
regular cavalry, and Ca])tain Pike's squadron of Arkansas horse, 
under the orders of Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel May, with (Urec- 
tions to hold in check the enemy's column, still advancing to the 
rear along the base of the mountain, which was done in con- 
junction with the Kentucky and Arkansas cavalry under Colonels 
Marshall and Yell. 



600 BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 

''In the mean time our left, which was still strongly threatened 
by a superior force, was farther strengthened by the detachment 
of Captain Bragg's, and a portion of Captain Sherman's batteries 
to that quarter. The concentration of artillery fire upon the 
masses of the enemy along the base of the mountain, and the 
determined resistance offered by the two regiments opposed to 
them, had created confusion in their ranks, and some of the 
corps attempted to effect a retreat upon their main line of battle. 
The squadron of the 1st dragoons, under Lieutenant Rucker, 
was now ordered up the deep ravine wdiich these retreating 
corps were endeavouring to cross, in order to charge and disperse 
tliem. The squadron proceeded to the point indicated, but 
could not accomplish the object, being exposed to a heavy fire 
from a battery established to cover the retreat of those cor}is. 
While the squadron was detached on this service, a large body 
of the enemy was observed to concentrate on our extreme left, 
apparently with a view of making a descent upon the hacienda 
of Buena Vista, where our train and baggage were deposited. 
Lieutenant-Colonel May was ordered to the support of that 
point, with two pieces of Captain Sherman's battery under Lieu- 
tenant Reynolds. In the mean time, the scattered forces near 
llie hacienda, composed in part of Majors Trail and Gorman's 
commands, had been, to some extent, organized under the advice 
of Major Munroe, chief of artillery, with the assistance of JNIajor 
Morrison, volunteer staff, and were posted to defend the position. 
Before our cavalry had readied the hacienda, that of the enemy 
had made its attack ; having been handsomely met by the Ken- 
tucky and Arkansas cavalry under Colonels Marshall and Yell. 
The Mexican column immediately divided, one portion swee])ing 
by tlio depot, where it received a destructive fire from the force 
which had collected there, and then gaining the mountain op- 
posite, under a fire from Lieutenarit Reynold's section, the re- 
maining portion regaining the base of the mountain on our left. 
In the charge at Buena Vista, Colonel Yell fell gallantly at the 
head of his regiment ; we also lost Adjutant Vaughan, of the 
Kentucky cavalry — a young ofiicer of much promise. Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel May, wlio had been rejoined by the squadron of 
tbe 1st dragoons, and 1)y ])ortions of the Arkansas and Indiana 



BATTLE OF EUENA VISTA. 



601 




Genfral Taylor at Buena Vista. 

troops, under Lieutenant-Colonel Roane and Major Gorman, 
now approached the base of the mountain, holding in check 
the right flank of the enemy, upon whose masses, crowded in 
the narrow gorges and ravines, our artillery was doing fearful 
execution. 

" The position of that portion of the Mexican army which had 
gained our rear was now very critical, and it seemed doubtful 
Avhether it could regain the main body. At this moment I re- 
ceived from General Santa Anna a message by a staff officer, 
desiring to know what I wanted ? I immediately despatched 
Brigadier-General Wool to the Mexican general-in-chief, and 
sent orders to cease firing. U])on reaching the Mexican lines 
General Wool could not cause the enemy to cease their fire, and 
accordingly retained Avithout having an interview. The ex- 
treme right of the enemy continued its retreat along the base of 
the mountain, and finally, in spite of all our efforts, effected a 
junction with the remainder of the army. 

" During the day, the cavalry of General Minon had ascended 
the elevated plain above Saltillo, and occupied the road from the 
city to the field of battle, where they intercepted several of our 
men. Approaching the town, they were fired upon by Captain 
Webster from the redoubt occupied by his company, and then 
moved off towards the eastern side of the valley, and obliquely 



3E 



76 



602 BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 

towards Biiena Vista. At this time, Captain Shover moved 
rapidly forward with Ins piece, supported by a miscellaneous 
command of mounted volunteers, and tired several shots at the 
cavalry with great effect. They w^ere driven into the ravines 
which lead to the lower valley, closely pursued by Captain 
Shover, who was farther supported by a piece of Captain Web- 
ster's battery, under Lieutenant Donaldson, which had advanced 
from the redoubt, supported by Captain Wheeler's company of 
Illinois volunteers. The enemy made one or two efforts to 
charge the artillery, but was finally driven back in a confused 
mass, and did not again appear upon the plain. 

" In the mean time, the firing had partially ceased upon the 
principal field. The enemy seemed to confine his efforts to the 
protection of liis artillery, and I had left the plateau for a 
moment, when I was recalled thither by a very heavy musketry 
fire. On regaining that position, I discovered that our infantry 
(Illinois and 2d Kentucky) had engaged a greatly superior force 
of the enemy — evidently his reserve — and that they had been 
overwhelmed by numbers. The moment was most critical. 
Captain O'Brien, with tw^o pieces, had sustained this heavy 
charge to the last, and was finally obliged to leave his guns on 
the field — his infantry support being entirely routed. Captoin 
Bragg, who had just arrived from the left, was ordered at once 
into battery. Without any infantry to support him, and at the 
imminent risk of losing his guns, this officer came ra})idly into 
action, the Mexican line being but a few yards from the muzzle 
of his ])ioces. The first discharge of canister caused the enemy 
to hesitate, the second and third drove him back in disorder, and 
saved the day. The 2d Kentucky regiment, which had advanced 
beyond supporting distance in this affair, was driven baclv and 
closely pressed by the enemy's cavalry. Taking a ravine which 
led in the direction of Captain Washington's battery, their pur- 
suers became exposed to his fire, which soon checked and drove 
them back with loss. In the mean time, the rest of our artillery 
had taken position on the plateau, covered by the Mississippi 
and 3d Indiana regiments, the former of which had reached 
the ground in time to pour a fire into the right flank of the 
enemy, and thus contribute to his repulse. In this last conflict 



BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 603 



we had the misfortune to sustain a verj heavy loss, Colonel 
Hardin, 1st Illinois, and Colonel McKee and Lieutenant-Colonel 
Clay, 2d Kentucky regiment, fell at this time while gallantly 
leading their commands. 

" No farther attempt was made by the enemy to force our 
position, and the approach of night gave an opportunity to pav 
proper attention to the wounded, and also to refresh the soldiers, 
who had been exhausted by incessant watchfulness and combat. 
Though the night was severely cold, the troops were compelled 
for the most to bivouac without fires, expecting that morning 
would renew the conflict. During the night the wounded were 
removed to Saltillo, and every preparation made to receive the 
enemy, should he again attack our position. Seven fresh com- 
panies were drawn from the town, and Brigadier-General Mar- 
shall, with a reinforcement of Kentucky cavalry and four heavy 
guns, under Captain Prentiss, 1st artillery, was near at hand, 
when it was discovered that the enemy had abandoned his 
position during the night. Our scouts soon ascertained that he 
had fallen back upon Agua Nueva. The great disparity of 
numbers, and the exhaustion of our troops, rendered it inexpe- 
dient and hazardous to attempt pursuit. A staff officer was 
despatched to General Santa Anna to negotiate an exchano-e of 
prisoners, which was satisfactorily completed on tlie following 
day. Our own dead were collected and buried, and the Mexi- 
can wounded, of which a large number had been left upon the 
field, were removed to Saltillo, and rendered as comfortable as 
circumstances would permit. 

" On the evening of the 26th, a close reconnoissance was made 
of the enemy's position, which was found to be occupied only by 
a small body of cavalry, the infantry and artillery having re- 
treated in the direction of San Luis Potosi. On the 27th, our 
troops resumed their former camp at Agua Nueva, the enemy's 
rear-guard evacuating the place as we approached, leaving a 
considerable number of wounded. It was my purpose to Ijeat 
up his quarters at Encarnacion earl}^ the next morning, but 
upon examination, the weak condition of the cavalry horses 
rendered it unadvisable to attempt so long a march without 
water. A command was finally despatched to Encarnacion, on 



604 BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA. 



the 1st of March, under Colonel Belknap. Some two hundred 
wounded, and about sixty Mexican soldiers were found there, 
the army having passed on in the direction of Matehuala, with 
greatly reduced numbers, and suffering much from hunger. 
The dead and dying were strewed upon the road and crowded 
the buildings of the hacienda. 

The American force engaged in the action of Buena Vista is 
shown, by the accompanying field report, to have been three 
hundred and forty-four officers, and four thousand four hundred 
and twenty -five men, exclusive of the small command left in and 
near Saltillo. Of this number, two scpiadrons of cavalry and 
three batteries of light artillery, mailing not more than four hun- 
dred and fifty-three men, composed the only force of regular 
troops. The strength of the Mexican army is stated by General 
Santa Anna, in his summons, to be twenty thousand ; and that 
estimate is confirmed by all the information since obtained. Our 
loss is two hundred and sixty-seven killed, four hundred and 
fifty-six wounded, and twenty-three missing. Of the numerous 
wounded, many did not require removal to the hospital, and it 
is hoped that a comparatively small number will be permanently 
disabled. The Mexican loss in killed and wounded may be 
fairly estimated at fifteen hundred, and will probably reach two 
thousand. At least five hundred of their killed were left upon 
the field of battle. We have no means of ascertaining the num- 
ber of deserters and dispersed men from their ranks, but it is 
known to be very great. 

" Our loss has been especially severe in officers, twenty-eight 
having been killed upon the field. We have to lament the 
death of Captain George Lincoln, assistant adjutant-general, 
serving in the staff of General Wool — a young officer of high 
bearing and approved gallantry, wdio fell early in the action. No 
loss falls more heavily upon the army in the field than that of 
Colonels Hardin and McKee, and Lieutenant-Colonel Clay. 
Possessing, in a remarkable degree, the confidence of their com- 
mands, and the last two having enjoyed the advantage of a mili- 
tary education, I had looked particularly to them for support in 
case we met the enemy. I need not say that their zeal in 
engaging the enemy, and the cool and steadfast courage with 



CAPTAIN o'BRIEN. 605 

which they maintained their positions during the day, fully 
realized my hopes, and caused me to feel yet more sensibly their 
untimely loss." 

The artillery was the arm which won the battle of Buena 
Vista; and none distinguished themselves more in its manage- 
ment than Captains O'Brien and Bragg. They sustained, 
singly, the charge of the whole body of the enemy's lancers, a force 
numbering some thousands more than their own ; and although 
each moment expecting that the crushing avalanche would 
sweep over guns and horses, yet they remained firm at their post, 
until victory was certain. The situation of O'Brien was pecu- 
liarly trying. A tremendous cross lire of the enemy swept across 
the field, whistling and rattling on the stony surface, and driving 
back the small body of infantry which had been ordered to sup- 
port him. At that moment he paused, and looking behind, the 
danger of his situation burst upon him. Before liim were the 
heavy columns of lancers, their trampling horses crowding upon 
each other, and the long rows of lances glittering and dancing 
in the sunshine ; in the rear and flanks were the infantry, whose 
artillery had already driven away his only support. If he yielded, 
the day was lost; if he stood, he might be crushed to pieces. Two 
horses had fallen under him, and he had received a wound in 
the leg. Most of his cannoneers were dead or wounded, and 
some of the guns perfectly idle. He resolved to stand. Riding 
round and round his guns, he cheered his men for the terrible 
encounter, and exhorted them not to fire until the cavalry were 
within a few yards of the muzzles. On they came, shaking the 
earth under the gallop of their horses. Nearer and nearer they 
drew, until the raised hoof almost struck the cannon, when a 
roar like thunder burst forth, and scores of steeds and riders 
reeled back upon their startled companions. Then for a moment 
all was confusion, and the huge mass swayed to and fro in fear- 
ful uncertainty. But they again formed, and prepared for a de- 
cisive struggle. This was a fearful moment; hundreds of 
anxious eyes were bent intensely on the few devoted men, who 
were thus battling in the jaws of death. At this moment, the 
steadiness of the young cannoneers forsook them. They were 
unable to maintain their stations, and their captain grew pale i 

3e2 I 



606 CAPTAIN BRAGG. 



with cxciteinent, as he felt that victory was wrenched from his 
grasp. Slowly and sternly he left his guns, and retired to join the 
other artillery. But he was not unrewarded ; he had remained 
long enough to enable reinforcements to arrive ; and to him, as 
much as to any man on the field, w^as the final victory owing. 

Equally perilous was the service of Captain Bragg. All day 
his force was moving over the field, engaged at every point 
wdiere it could be of any avail. When we remember that all 
his movements were across rocks and guUeys where it was almost 
impossible to travel, we will have a better idea of their import- 
ance. Charge after charge was made upon him, and often ho 
was forced to leave his heaviest artillery in some unprotected 
position, in order to arrive at a threatened position in time to be 
of service. He thus describes his last encounter with the ene- 
my : " Knowing the importance of my presence, I left some of 
my heaviest carriages, and pushed on with such as could move 
most rapidly. Having gained a point from which my guns 
could be used, I put them in battery and loaded with canister. 
Now, for the first time, I felt the imminent peril in which we 
stood . Our infantry was routed, our advanced artillery captured, 
and the enemy in heavy force coming upon us at a run. Feel- 
ing that the day depended upon the successful stand of our artil- 
lery, I appealed to the commanding general, who was near, for 
support. None was to be had ; and, under his instructions to 
maintain our position at every hazard, I returned to my battery, 
encouraged my men, and when the enemy arrived within good 
range, poured forth the canister as rapidly as my guns could be 
loaded. At the first discharge I observed the enemy falter, and 
in a short time he was in full retreat. A very heavy loss must 
have been sustained by him, however, before he got beyond our 
range. My guns were now advanced several hundred yards, 
and opened on a position held by the enemy, with a battery of 
heavier calibre than our own — the same from which our left 
flank had been driven in the afternoon. Under the support of 
the Mississippi regiment, I continued my fire until convinced 
that nothing could be eff'ected — the enemy holding an eminence 
from which we could not dislodge him without a sacrifice which 
might compromise the success of the day. About sunset I with- 



RETREAT OF SANTA ANNA. 607 

drew my battery into the ravine in rear of our line, and took a 
position for the night from which I could readily move to any 
assailable point. Here I remained, officers and men on the alert, 
and horses in harness." 

Had the Mexicans managed their artillery with the same 
bravery as did these two intrepid officers, the American army 
must have been cut to pieces. Captain Bragg discharged two 
hundred and fifty rounds of ammunition from each of his guns ; 
and during the whole battle, the ground seemed to reel with the 
incessant peals of heavy cannon. As the batteries poured forth 
their fiery showers, whole companies sunk shrieking to the 
ground ; and in the morning, the masses of dead and dying, 
piled upon one another, told a fearful narrative of the artillery 
of the preceding day. 

The evening of the 23d found both armies in the same rela- 
tive position, and on the same ground they had occupied in the 
morning. During the night, however, Santa Anna withdrew 
his shattered forces toward Potosi. The Americans expected 
an attack before morning, and were prepared for it ; but, under 
cover of the darkness, Santa Anna withdrew his starving fol- 
lowers to Agua Nueva. Soon afterward General Taylor fell 
bacjc toward Monterey. 

On the 2d of March an escort of two hundred men, and a 
train of one hundred and fifty wagons, under Major Giddings, 
was attacked by General Urrea, at the head of a large party of 
lancers. The attack was so sudden that the train and escort 
were divided into two parties, the smaller of wliich Urrea sum- 
moned to surrender. A desultory conflict ensued in which the 
Americans succeeded in reuniting, and repelling their oppo- 
nents with the loss of about forty. The major had two soldiers 
killed and fifteen teamsters. He proceeded without further 
molestation to Seralvo, where Colonel Curtis arrived in a few 
days with reinforcements, and assumed command. The whole 
party then commenced a pursuit of Urrea, which was continued 
until the 16th, when it met General Taylor with a portion of 
the main army, also in pursuit. The whole force consisting of 
May's dragoons, Bragg's artillery, and Colonel Curtis's men, led 
by General Taylor, pushed after the ]\Texicans with renewed 



608 Taylor's return to the united states. 

vigour ; but, notwithstanding every exertion, Urrea succeeded in 
escaping beyond tlie mountains. 

After this pursuit, General Taylor retired to Walnut Springs, 
where, on account of the small number of his troops, lie was 
oblio-ed to remain inactive durinof the summer and fall of 1847. 

o ... 

In December he visited the United States, intending to remain 
with his family until his services should be further recpiired by 
government. 




Head Muleteer and Servant. 



KEARNY S EXr EDITION. 



609 




Brigadier-General Stephen W. Kearny. 



CHAPTER VI. 



'pcupatlon ©f ©allferxiia an^ l^^fe iPIeariin 



N May, 1846, President Polk was anthorized by 
Congress to accept the services of fifty thousand 
volunteers, to continue the war Avhich had com- 
menced on the Rio Grande. Of this number 
ten companies composed a force destined to act 
against Santa Fe. They were formed of five 
companies United States dragoons, two of foot, 
two light artillery, and one volunteer horse. This army was 
placed under the direction of Colonel Stephen W. Kearny, who, 
in a confidential letter from Secretary Marcy, dated June 3d, 
1846, received in substance the following instructions: To or- 

77 




6J0 TAKING OF SANTA FE. 

ganize for the expedition an additional force of one tlionsand 
men, in order to proceed from Santa Fe against Upper Califor- 
nia ; to establish a government there after taking possession ; 
to receive as volunteers a number of Mormon and other emi- 
grants, recently settled in the province; to co-operate with 
the naval force in the Pacific ; to open trade with the Indians ; 
and to respect the rights of the Californians. The letter con- 
concludes as follows : "I am directed by the president to say 
that the rank of brevet brigadier-general will be conferred on 
you as soon as you commence your movement towards Califor- 
nia, and sent roiuid to you by sea, or over the country, or to the 
care of the commandant of our squadron in the Pacific. In that 
w^ay cannon, arms, ammunition, and supplies for the land forces, 
will be sent you." 

The depot of Kearny's force was Fort Leavensworth. On tlio 
27th of June his advance commenced its march ; and by the 
1st of AuG^ust more than sixteen hundred men were concentrated 
at Bent's fort, having marched a distance of five hundred and 
sixty-four miles. The march was resiTmed on the 3d, and after 
a toilsome journey over frightful prairies, they arrived, August 
12th, at the mountains near the Rio Grande. 

Signs of hostility now began to appear ; and messages arrived 
from General Armigo, governor of Santa Fe, requesting Kearny 
to advance no further, or at least to consent to negotiations for 
peace. The tone of these was dignified but earnest. The 
American commander replied that he came to take possession ; 
that the peaceable inhabitants should be well treated, but that 
the vengeance of both army and government would be poured 
upon all others. On the march the colonel received a despatch 
from government constituting him brigadier-general. 

On the 18th of August General Kearny took possession of 
Santa Fe, in the name of the United States. The oath of alle- 
o-iance was administered to the alcalde and inhabitants, and a 
military territorial government established. No opposition was 
experienced. Governor Armigo and his army having fled at the 
approach of the Americans. General Kearny was proclaimed 
frovernor, erected a fort, (called Fort Marcy,) and published a 
proclamation to the inhabitants. 



DONIPHAN S EXPEDITION. 611 




After seeing every thing in a state of tranqnillity, General 
Kearny commenced his march, September 25th, for the distant 
region of Cahfornia. 

Before the general had accomplished this arduous undertak- 
ing, Colonel Doniphan, •with his citizen volunteers, commenced 
one of equal magnitude, and pregnant with events of paramount 
importance. When Kearny left Santa Fe he ordered the colo- 
nel to proceed as soon as practicable into Chihuahua, and report 
to General Wool, who with the centre division had been intrusted 
Avith the conquering of that province. 

^ N the 17th of December, Doniphan, with nine 
hundred and twenty-four men, began his expedi- 
tion. On the 24th they reached the Jornada lake, 
into which runs the Brazito river, more than 
twenty miles from the Passo del Norte, of the east- 
ern mountain range. Here they were informed that the 
Mexicans, to the number of one thousand, were collected 
at the Pass, ready for an attack. The Americans num- 
bered about six hundred, the remainder being sick. On 
the afternoon of the following day, (Christmas,) the enemy were 
seen approaching, and, when within eight hundred yards, ex- 
tended themselves so as to cover the American flank. An officer 
approached, carrying a black flag, and after proclaiming no 
quarters, rejoined his column, which immediately charged at a 
rapid gallop. The conflict was but short — the Mexicans being 
defeated with the loss of thirty killed, and driven into the moun- 
tains. Eight were captured, six of whom subsequently died ; 
and their single piece of cannon was also taken. The Ameri- 
cans had seven wounded. On the 27th Doniphan entered the 
town of El Passo, without resistance, where he was reinforced 
by Major Clark's artillery. 

On the 8th of February, 1847, the whole command (nine 
hundred and twenty-four men) left the Passo del Norte, and 
marched for Chihuahua. On the 2Sth they fought the great 
battle of Sacramento. This action, with the position itself, is 
thus described by Colonel Doniphan : 

" The Pass of the Sacramento is formed by a point of the 
mounfeins on our right, (their left,) extending into the valley or 



612 BATTLE OF SACRAMENTO. 

])lain, so as to narrow the valley to about one and a half miles. 
On our left was a deep dry sandy channel of a creek, and be- 
tween these points the plain rises to sixty feet abruptly. This 
rise is in the form of a crescent, the convex part being to the 
north of our forces. On the right from the point of mountains, 
a narrow part of the ])lain extends north one and a half miles 
further than on the left. The main road passes down the centre 
of the valley, and across the crescent near the left or dry branch. 
The Sacramento rises in the mountains on the right, and the 
road falls on to it aljout one mile below the battle field or in- 
trenchment of the enemy. We ascertained that the enerny had 
one battery of four guns, two nine and six-pounders on the 
point of the mountain, (their left,) at a good elevation to sweep 
the plain ; and at a point where the mountain extended furthest 
into the plain. On our left (their right) they had another bat- 
tery on an elevation commanding the road, and three intrench- 
ments of two six-pounders, and on the brow of the crescent near 
the centre, another of two six, and two four and six cidverins, 
or rampart pieces mounted on carriages ; and on the crest of the 
hill, or ascent between the batteries, and the right and left, they 
had twenty-seven redoubts dug and thrown up, extending at 
short intervals across the whole ground. In these their infantry 
were placed and were entirely protected. Their cavalry was 
drawn up in front of the redoubts, four deep, and in rear of the 
redoubts, two deep, so as to mask them as far as practicable. * * 
" We now commenced the action by a brisk fire from our 
battery, and the enemy unmasked and commenced also. Our 
fire proved effective at this distance, killing fifteen men, wound- 
ing and disabling one of the enemy's guns. We had two men 
slightly wounded, and several horses and mules killed. The 
enemy then slow^ly retreated behind their works in some confu- 
sion, and we resumed our march in our former order, still diverg- 
ing more to the right to avoid their battery on our left, and their 
strongest redoubts wliich were on the left near where the road 
passes. *■ * * The howitzers charged at speed, and were 
gallantly sustained by Captain Reid ; but by some misunder- 
standing my order was not given to the other two companies, 
Parsons's and Hudson's. Captain Hudson, anticipating my 



BATTLE OF SACHAMENTO. 



613 



order, charged in time to give ample support to the howitzers. 
Captain Parsons at the same moment came to me, and asked 
permission for his company to charge the redoubts immediately 
to the left of Captain Wrightman, which lie did very gallantly. 
" The remainder of the two battalions of the first regiment were 
dismounted during the cavalry charge, and following rapidly on 
foot, and Major Clark advancing as rapidly as practicable, with 
the remainder of the battery, vre charged their redoubts from 
right to left, with a brisk and deadly fire of riflemen, Avhile Ma- 
jor Clark opened a rapid and well-directed fire on a column of 
cavalry, attempting to pass to our left so as to attack the wagons 
and our rear. The fire was so well directed as to force them to 
fall back, and our riflemen with their cavalry and howitzers, 
cleared it after an obstinate resistance. Our forces advanced to 
the very brink of their redoubts, and attacked tliem with their 
sabres. When the redoubts were cleared, and the batteries in 
the centre and our left were silenced, the main battery on our 
right still continued to pour in a constant and heavy fire, as it 
had done during the heat of the engagement ; but as the whole 
fate of the battle depended upon carrying the redoubts and centre 
battery, this one on the right remained unattached, and the enemy 
had rallied there five hundred strong. 

'AJOR CLARK was directed to com- 
mence a heavy fire upon it, while 
Lieutenant-Colonels Mitchell and 
Jackson, commanding the first bat- 
talion, were ordered to remount and 
charge the battery on the left, while 
Major Gilpin was directed to pass the 
second battalion on foot, up the rough 
ascent of the mountain on the opposite 
side. The fire of our battery was so etfective as to completely 
silence theirs, and the rapid advance of our column put them to 
flight over the mountains in great confusion. 

" Thus ended the battle of Sacramento. The force of the enemy 
was twelve hundred cavalry from Durango and Chihuahua, three 
hundred artillerists, and fourteen hundred and twenty rancheros, 
badly armed with lassoes, lances, and machetos, or corn knives, ten 

3F 




614 RETURN OF DONIPHAN S COMMAND. 

pieces of artillery, two nine, two eight, four six, and two four- 
pounders, and six culverins, or rampart pieces. * * * * Our force 
was nine hundred and twenty-four effective men ; at least one hun- 
dred of whom were engaged in holding horses and driving teams. 
The loss of the enemy w^as his entire artillery, ten wagons, masses 
of beans and pinola, and other Mexican provisions, about three 
hundred killed, about the same number w^ounded, many of whom 
have since died, and forty prisoners. The field was literally 
covered with the dead and Avounded, from our artillery and the 
unerring fire of our riflemen. Niglit put a stop to the carnage, 
the battle having commenced about three o'clock. Our loss was 
one killed, one mortally wounded, and seven so wounded as to 
recover without any lo5s of limbs." 

On the 1st of March Colonel Doniphan took possession of 
Chihuahua, where he remained three weeks. At the end of this 
time, having received orders from General Wool, he marched, 
April 25th, for Saltillo. On the road. Captain Reid defeated 
about fifty Indians near El Passo, May 13th, capturing one 
thousand horses. On the 22d of May the command reached 
Wool's encampment, and on the 27th, that of General Taylor. 

As the term of service of these gallant men had expired, they 
now commenced their return. Early in June they marched 
through Matamoras, and on the 16th, arrived at New Orleans. 
Their reception was most enthusiastic, and they set out for their 
homes laden with the honours and congratulations of a benefited 
republic. 

Meanwhile a military and naval force under the direction, first, 
of Commodore Sloat, and afterwards of Commodore Stockton, 
had taken possession of California and published a proclamation 
to the inhabitants, claiming it as part of the United States. The 
head-quarters of his forces was the Ciudad de los Angelos. An 
elective government was established, officers elected, and a tariff 
on imports established. Stockton then proceeded to San Fran- 
cisco. The fleet in the meanwhile l)lockaded the entire coast of 
California, and on the 19th of November, 184G, captured the 
tow^n of Panuco. 

While the commodore w^as congratulating himself upon tlie 
favourable condition of affairs, the inhaljitants of los Angelos 



DISPUTE BETWEEN KEARNY AND STOCKTON. 615 





J\. Jl '^d^iiffiL^^^ 



__^ 




Capture of Panuco. 



suddenly arose in revolt, and compelled the surrender of Captain 
Gillespie, with thirty men. Immediately after the whole region 
south of Monterey (California) were in arms. Stockton, accom- 
panied by Colonel Fremont, hastened back, and commenced a 
desultory war with the insurrectionists, Avliich lasted until Janu- 
ary, 1847, when, in the battle of San Gabriel (Sth and 9th) the 
Mexicans were defeated, and subordination restored. Kearny, 
who had lately arrived in Ca.lifornia, was the acting officer in 
this battle. 

A dispute now arose between Kearny and Stockton concern- 
ing the government of California. The former produced his 
commission as governor from the president; but for several 
reasons, Stockton declared it null, and in his despatches, relating 
to the battle of San Gabriel, omits all mention of assistance from 
the general. To this opinion Colonel Fremont assented. Kearny 
submitted until the arrival of reinforcements, when Stockton 
left the territory, and the general arrested Fremont, and sent him 
to the United States. After a most thorough investigation, 
which lasted more than two months, he was found guilty of 
mutiny, disobedience of orders, and unofficer-like conduct, and 
sentenced to be dismissed from the army. Being recommended, 
however, to the clemency of the president, the sentence was re- 
mitted, and the colonel immediately reported for duty. 



616 



SCOTT ORDERED TO MEXICO. 




General Worth. 



CHAPTER VII. 



N receiving news of the actual commence- 
ment of hostilities, at the Rio Grande, Gene- 
ral Scott commander-in-chief of the Ameri- 
can army, requested of government privi- 
lege to join the army of occupation with a 
large force, and push forward rapidly for 
the Mexican capital. This was refused, and 
the commander obliged to remain inactive 
until November, when he received orders 

to repair immediately to the seat of war. Accordingly he 

reached the Rio Grande, January 1st, 1S47. 




LANDING AT VERA CRUZ. 617 

Scott's sphere of operations was different from that of Taylor. 
With his own troops, and those drawn from the army of occupa- 
tion, (numbering altogether about twelve thousand,) he had 
been ordered to proceed against the city of Vera Cruz and its 
castle, as the first step in a grand scale of operations, the destina- 
tion of which was the city of Mexico. 

After considerable delay in completing necessary arrange- 
ments, the fleet under Commodore Conner, having on board the 
commander and his army, arrived off Vera Cruz. Tlie landing 
is thus described by the commodore himself: 

*' The anchorage near this place being extremely contracted, 
it became necessary, in order to avoid crowding it with an un- 
due number of vessels, to transfer most of the troops to the ves- 
sels of war for transportation to Sacrificios. Accordingly, on the 
morning of the 9th, at daylight, all necessary preparations — 
such as launching and numbering the boats, detailing officers, 
&c. — having been previously made, this transfer was com- 
menced. The frigates received on board between twenty-five 
and twenty-eight hundred men each, with their arms and ac- 
coutrements, and the sloops and smaller vessels numbers in 
proportion. This part of the movement was completed very 
successfully about eleven o'clock, a. m., and a few minutes 
thereafter the squadron under my command, accompanied by 
the commanding general, in the steamship Massachusetts, and 
such of the transports as had been selected for the purpose, got 
under way. 

" The w^eather was very fine — indeed we could not have been 
more favoured in this particular than we were. We had a fresh 
and yet gentle breeze from the south-east, and a perfectly 
smooth sea. The passage to Sacrificios occupied us between 
two and three hours. Each ship came in and anchored without 
the slightest disorder or confusion, in the small space allotted to 
her — the harbour being still very much crowded, notwithstand- 
ing the number of transports we had left behind. The disem- 
barkation commenced on the instant 

" Whilst we were transferring the troops from the sliips to the 
surf-boats, (sixty-five in number,) I directed the steamers Spit- 
fire and Vixen, and the five gun-boats, to form a line parallel 

3f2 78 



618 LANDING AT VERA CRUZ. 



with and close in to the beach, to cover the landing. This order 
was promptly executed, and these small vessels, from the light- 
ness of their draft, were enabled to take positions within good 
grape-range of the shore. As the boats severally received their 
complements of troops, they assembled in a line, abreast, between 
the fleet and the gun-boats; and when all were ready, they 
pulled in together, under the guidance of a number of officers of 
the scpiadron, who had been detailed for this purpose. General 
Worth commanded this, the first line of the army, and had the 
satisfaction of forming his command on the beach and neighbour- 
ing heights just before sunset. Four thousand five hundred men 
were thus thrown on shore, almost simultaneously. No enemy 
appeared to offer us the slightest opposition. The first line 
being landed, the boats in successive trips relieved the men-of- 
war and transports of the remaining troops by ten o'clock, p. ]\i. 
The whole army, (save a few straggling companies,) consisting 
of upwards of ten thousand men, were thus safely deposited on 
shore, without the slightest accident of any kind. 

" The officers and seamen under my command vied with each 
other, on this occasion, in a zealous and energetic performance 
of their duty. I cannot but express to the department the great 
satisfaction I have derived from witnessing their efforts to con- 
tribute all in their power to the success of their more fortunate 
brethren of the army. The weather still continuing fine, to-day 
we are engaged in landing the artillery, horses, provisions, and 
other materiel. The steamer New Orleans, with the Louisiana 
regiment of volunteers, eight hundred strong, arrived most op- 
portunely at Anton Lizardo, just as we had put ourselves in 
motion. She joined us, and her troops were landed with the 
rest. Another transport arrived at this anchorage to-day. Her 
troops have also been landed." 

An account of this celebrated siege we give in General Scott's 
own words. His first despatch is dated March 23d, 1847 : 

" Yesterday, seven of our ten-inch mortars being in battery, 
and the labours for planting the remainder of our heavy metal 
being in progress, I addressed, at two o'clock, p. m., a summons 
to the governor of Vera Cruz, and within two hours limited by 
the bearer of the flag, received the governer's answer. Copies 



SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ. 



619 




Siese of Vera Cruz. 



of the two papers (marked respectively, A and B) are herewith 
inclosed . 

" It will be perceived that the governer, who it turns out is 
the commander of both places, chose, against the plain terms of 
the summons, to suppose me to have demanded the surrender of 
the castle and of the city — when, in fact, from the non-arrival of 
our heavy metal — principally mortars — I was in no condition to 
threaten the former. 

" On the return of the flag with that reply, I at once ordered the 
seven mortars, in battery, to open upon the city. In a short time 
the smaller vessels of Commodore Perry's squadron — two steamers 
and five schooners — according to previous arrangement with him, 
approached the city within about a mile and an eighth, whence, 
being partially covered from the castle — an essential condition 
to their safety — they also opened a brisk fire upon the city. 
This has been continued, uninterruptedly, by the mortars, only 
wath a few intermissions, by the vessels, up to nine o'clock this 



G20 SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ. 

morning, when the commodore very properly called them off a 
position too daringly assumed. 

" Our three remaining mortars are now (twelve o'clock, m) in 
battery, and the whole ten in activity. To-morrow, early, if the 
city should continue obstinate, batteries Nos. 4 and 5 will be 
ready to add their lire : No. 4, consisting of four twenty-four- 
pounders and two eight-inch paixhan guns, and No. 5, (naval 
battery,) of three thirty -two-pounders and three eight-inch 
paixhans — the guns, officers, and sailors landed from the squad- 
ron — our friends of the navy being unremitting in their zealous 
co-operation, in every mode and form. 

" So far, we know that our fire upon the city has been highly 
effective — particularly from the batteries of ten-inch mortars, 
planted at about eight hundred yards from the city. Including 
the preparation and defense of the batteries, from the beginning 
— now many days — and notwithstanding the heavy fire of the 
enemy from city and castle, we have only had four or five men 
wounded, and one officer and one man killed, in or near the 
trenches. That officer was Captain John R. Vinton, of the 
United States 3d artillery, one of the most talented, accomplished, 
and effective members of the army, and was highly distinguished 
in the brilliant operations at Monterey. He fell, last evening, 
in the trenches, where he was on duty as field and commanding 
officer, universally regretted. I have just attended his honoured 
remains to a soldier's grave, in full view of the enemy, and within 
reach of his giuis. 

"Thirteen of the long-needed mortars — leaving twenty-seven, 
besides heavy guns, behind — have arrived, and two of them 
landed. A heavy norther then set in (at meridian) which 
stopped that o})eration, and also the landing of shells. Hence 
the fire of our mortar batteries has been slackened, since two 
o'clock to-day, and cannot be reinvigorated until we shall again 
have a smooth sea. In the mean time I shall leave this report 
open for journalizing events that may occur up to the departure 
of the steamship of war Princeton, with Commodore Conner, 
who, I learn, expects to leave the anchorage off Sacrificios, for 
the United States, the 25th instant. 

" March 24. — The storm having subsided in the night, we 



SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ. 62] 

commenced this forenoon, as soon as the sea became a little 
smooth, to land shot, shells, and mortars. 

" The naval battery. No. 5, was opened, with great activity, 
under Captain Aidick, the second in rank of the squadron, at 
about ten a. m. His fire was continued to two o'clock, p. i\i., a 
little before he w^as relieved by Captain Mayo, who landed \vith 
a fresh supply of ammunition— Captain A. having- exhausted 
the supply he had brought with him. He lost four sailors, 
killed, and had one officer, Lieutenant Baldwin, slightly hurt. 

"The mortar batteries, Nos. 1, 2, and 3, have fired but 
languidly during the day, for the want of shells, which are now 
goinp;' out from the beach. 

" Battery No. 4, which will mount four twenty-four-pounders 
and two eight-inch paixhan guns, has been much delayed in 
the hands of the indefatigable engineers by the norther, that 
filled up the work with sand nearly as fast as it could be opened 
by the half-blinded labourers. It will, however, doubtless be in 
full activity early to-morrow morning. 

"March 25. All the batteries, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are in 
awful activity this morning. The effect is, no doubt, very great, 
and I think the city cannot hold out beyond to-day. To-mor- 
row morning many of the new mortars will be in a position to 
add their fire, when, or after the delay of some twelve hours, if 
no proposition to surrender should be received, I shall organize 
parties for carrying the city by assault. So far the defense 
has been spirited and obstinate. 

" I inclose a copy of a memorial received last night, sio-ned 
by the consuls of Great Britain, France, Spain, and Prussia, 
within Vera Cruz, asking me to grant a truce to enable the 
neutrals, together with Mexican women and children to with- 
draw from the scene of havoc about them. I shall reply, the 
moment that an opportunity may be taken, to say — First, That 
a truce can only be granted on the application of Governor 
Morales, with a view to surrender ; second. That in sending 
safeguards to the different consuls, beginning as far back as the 
13th instant, I distinctly admonished them, particularly the 
French and Spanish consuls — and, of course, through the two, 
the other consuls — of the dangers that have followed ; third. That 



022 SIEGE OF VERA CRUZ. 



although, at that date, I had already refused to allow any person 
whatsoever to pass the line of investment cither way, yet the 
blockade had been left open to the consuls and other neutrals to 
pass out to their respective ships of war up to the 22d instant ; 
and, fourth, I shall inclose to the memorialists a copy of my 
summons to the governor, to show that I had fully considered 
the impending hardships and distresses of the place, including 
those of women and children, before one gun had been tired in 
that direction. The intercourse betw^een the neutral ships of 
war and the city was stopped at tlie last-mentioned date by 
Commodore Perry, with my concurrence, which I placed on the 
ground that that intercourse could not fail to give to the enemy 
moral aid and comfort. 

" It will be seen from the memorial, that our batteries have 
already had a terrible effect on the city, (also known tln'ough 
other sources,) and hence the inference that a surrender must 
soon be proposed." 

In a subsequent letter he writes : 

" The flag of the United States of America floats triumphantly 
over the walls of this city and the castle of St. Juan de Ulloa. 

" Our troops have garrisoned both since ten o'clock. It is 
now noon. Brigadier-General Worth is in command of the two 
places. 

" Articles of capitulation were signed and exchanged at a late 
hour night before the last. 

" I have heretofore reported the principal incidents of the 
siege, up to the 25th instant. Notliing of striking interest 
occurred, until early in the morning of the next day, when I re- 
ceived overtures from General Landero, on whom General 
Morales had devolved the principal command. A terrible storm 
of wind and sand made it difficult to communicate with the city, 
and impossible to refer to Commodore Perry. I was obliged to 
entertain the proposition alone, or to continue the fire upon a 
place that had sliown a disposition to surrender ; for the loss of 
a day, or perhaps several, could not be permitted. 

'•' Yesterday, after the norther had almted, and the commission- 
ers appointed by me early the morning before had again met 
those appointed l)y General Landero, Commodore Perry sent 



COMMISSIONERS APPOINTED. 



623 




American Fleet saluting the Castle after its surrender. 

ashore his second in command, Captain Auhck, as a commis- 
sioner on the part of the navy. Although not inchided in my 
specific arrangement made with the Mexican commander, I did 
not hesitate, with proper courtesy, to desire that Captain AuUck 
might be duly introduced and allowed to participate in the dis- 
cussions and acts of the commissioners who had been reciprocally 
accredited. The original American commissioners were. Brevet 
Brigadier-General Worth, Brigadier-General Pillow, and Colonel 
Totten. Four more able or judicious officers could not have 
been desired. 

" The remaining details of the siege ; the able co-operation of 
the United States squadron, successively under the co'tnmand 
of Commodores Conner and Perry ; the admirable conduct of 
the whole army — regulars and volunteers — I should be happy to 
dwell upon as they deserve ; but the steamer Princeton, with 
Commodore Conner on board, is under way, and I have com- 
menced organizing an advance into the interior. This may bo 
delayed a few days, waiting the arrival of additional means of 
transportation. In the mean time, a joint operation, by land and 
water, will be made upon Alvarado. No lateral expedition, how- 
ever, shall interfere with the grand movement to^\'ards the 
capital." 



624 



TERMS OF CAPITULATION. 





HE city and castle of Vera 
Cruz surrendered on the fol- 
lowing terms, which were 
rigidly adhered to : 

" 1. The wdiole garrison, 
or garrisons, to be surrendered to the 
arms of the United States, as prisoners 
of war, the 29th instant, at ten o'clock, 
A. M.; the garrisons to be permitted to 
march out with all the honours of war, 
and to lay down their arms to such officers as may be appointed 
by the general-in-chief of the United States armies, and at a 
point to be agreed upon by the commissioners. 

" 2. Mexican officers shall preserve their arms and private 
effects, including horses and horse-furniture, and to be allowed, 
regular aud irregular officers, as also the rank and file, five days 
to retire to their respective homes, on parole, as hereinafter pre- 
scribed. 

"3. Coincident with the surrender, as stipulated in article 1, 
the Mexican flags of the various forts and stations shall be 
struclv, saluted by their own batteries ; and immediately there- 
after, Forts Santiago and Conception, and the castle of San Juan 
de Ulloa, occupied by the forces of the United States. 

" 4. The rank and file of the regular portion of the prisoners 
to be disposed of after surrender and parole, as their general-in- 
chief may desire, and the irregular to be permitted to return to 
their homes. The officers, in respect to all arms and descrip- 
tions of*force, giving the usual parole, that the said rank and file, 
as well as themselves, shall not serve again until duly exchanged. 
"5. All the materiel of war, and all public property of every 
description found in the city, the castle of San Juan de Ulloa 
and their dependencies, to belong to the United States; but the 
armament of the same, (not injured or destroyed in the further 
prosecution of the actual war,) may be considered as liable to be 
restored to Mexico by a definite treaty of peace. 

" 6. The sick and wounded Mexicans to be allowed to remain 
in the city with such medical officers and attendants, and officers 
of the army, as may be necessary to their care and treatment. 



TERMS OF CAPITULATION. 



625 

_ "7. Absolute protection is solemnlj guarantied to persons 
m the city, and property, and it is clearly understood that no 
private building or property is to be taken or used by the forces 
of the United {States, without previous arrangement with the 
owners, and for a fair equivalent. 

"8. Absolute freedom of religious worship and ceremonies is 
solemnly guarantied." 




Mexicans leaving Vera Cruz. 



3G 



626 



ADVANCE TO THE CAPITAL. 




C'oiiimencemenl of the Guerilla Warlure. 



CHAPTER VII I. 



'.uxtf) t© tlie @a]plitfflL 




FTER remaining more than two weeks wdth his army 
at Vera Cruz, General Scott commenced his advance, 
April Sth, for the capital. On the 11th, Twiggs's 
division reached the Plan del Rio, where, in a few 
days, it was joined hy those of Quitman and Worth. 

At this time Santa Anna was stationed at the strong mountain 
pass of Sierra Gordo, which he had fortified with the greatest 
precaution. Here he awaited the arrival of the Americans with 



DESCRIPTION OF SIERRA GORDO. 



627 



firmness, calculating, that the advantages of his position, and 
his superiority of force, would give him an easy victory over the 
army of General Scott. An actor in the battle of Sierra Gordo 
thus describes this position : 

" The road from Vera Cruz, as it passes the Plan del Rio, 
which is a wide, rocky bed of a once large stream, is commanded 
by a series of high cliffs, rising one above the other, and extend- 
ing several miles, and all well fortified. The road then de- 
bouches to the right, and, curving around the ridge, passes over 
a high cliff, which is completely enfiladed by forts and bat- 
teries. This ridge is the commencement of Terra Templada, the 
upper or mountainous country. The high and rocky ravine of 
the river protected the right flank of the position, and a series 
of most abrupt and apparently impassable mountains and ridges 
covered their left. Between these points, running a distance of 
two or three miles, a succession of strongly fortified forts bristled 
at every turn, and seemed to defy all bravery and skill. The 
Sierra Gordo commanded the road on a gentle declination, like 
a glacis, for nearly a mile — an approach in that direction was 
impossible. A front attack must have terminated in the almost 
entire annihilation of our army. But the enemy expected such 
an attack, confiding in the desperate valour of our men, and be- 
lieving that it was impossible to turn their position to the right 
or left. General Scott, however, with the eye of a skilful gene- 
ral, perceived the trap set for him, and determined to avoid it. 
He, therefore, had a road cut to the right, so as to escape the 
front fire from the Sierra, and turn his position on the left flank. 
This movement was made known to the enemy by a deserter 
from our camp, and consequently a large increase of force under 
General Vega was sent to the forts on their left. 

"General Scott, to cover his flank movements, on the 17th of 
April, ordered forward General Twiggs against the fort on the 
steep ascent, in front and a little to the left of the Sierra. Colo- 
nel Harney commanded this expedition, and, at the head of the 
rifles and some detachments of infantry and artillery, carried his 
position under a heavy fire of grape and musketry. Having 
secured this position in front and near the enemy's strongest 
fortification, and having by incredible labour elevated one of our 



628 



BATTLE OF SIERRA GORDO. 




General TwisKS. 



large guns to the top of the fort, General Scott prepared to follow 
up his advantages. A demonstration was made from this position 
against another strong fort in the rear, and near the Sierra, but 
the enemy was considered too strong, and the undertaking was 
abandoned. A like demonstration was made by the enemy." 

Every thing being now ready for a general attack, Twiggs's 
division moved on the morning of the 18th, against the main 
fortress, Pillow's against that on the right, and Shields's and 
Worth's to the road in order to cut off all retreat. The troops 
composing the first, headed by Colonel Harney, pushed forward 
under a tremendous fire, and soon swept the works with the 
bayonet ; but La Vega succeeded in repulsing General Pillow. 
He finally surrendered, however, on ascertaining that Santa 
Anna was defeated. The latter fled with precipitation, accom- 
panied by Generals Almonte and Canalizo, and about half the 
army escaped l3y flight. He was so hotly pursued by Colonel 
Harney, as to leave behind his state carriage, trunks, and several 
thousand dollars in silver. 



TWIGGS ENTERS JALAPA. 



6.'3J 




Battle of Sierra Gordo. 




N this battle the Americans lost about two 
hundred and fifty in killed and wounded. 
General Shields was shot through the 
lungs by a musket ball, but, to the astonishment 
of all, survived. The loss of the Mexicans w^as 
about the same, exclusive of prisoners, who 
numbered three thousand. So great a quantity 
of stores, small arms, cannon, ammunition, &c., were taken, that 
General Scott, in his despatch to government, stated that he 
was embarrassed with the results of victory. Tlie force of the 
enemy in this battle numbered eleven thousand ; that of the 
Americans, six thousand. 

The several divisions of the army rapidly pursued their suc- 
cess. On the 19th Twiggs entered Jalapa without opposition. 
On the 22d General Worth took undisputed possession of the 
town and castle of Perote, one of the strongest in Mexico. Tus- 
pan, on the sea coast, had been previously taken (18th) by a 
portion of the gulf squadron, under Commodore Perry. Worth 
remained near Jalapa until the 15th of May, when he captured 
the city of Puebla. A description of this great achievement is 
given by one of his officers. 

" General Worth's command, four thousand strong, entered 




Capture of Tuspaii. 

and took possession of this city of palaces, with its eighty thou- 
sand population, on the 15th. Our guns gape on the city, and 
on its lazaroni, from every quarter. At Amazogue, twelve miles in 
the rear, Santa Anna came out to meet us with a column of about 
three thousand five hundred, supposing as was the fact, that one 
of General Worth's brigades (Quitman's) was in the rear. We 
gave him the usual reception, a la Rough and Ready. We could 
only get Santa Anna near enough to give play to our light bat- 
teries, and only keep him in range long enough to unsaddle 
ninety cavalry. Santa Anna never fired a shot, and of course 
there was no loss on our side. We followed as close on his heels 
as tired foot could after Mexican horses well frightened, and 
entered Puebla at ten o'clock in the morning, while Santa Anna 
had left at four o'clock, with a guard of three hundred or four 
hundred cavalry. Could General Worth have reached him. 
General Santa Anna and his force would have been destroyed." 
The army remained at Puel)la until August, when General 
Scott began his famous march for the city of Mexico. The troops 
passed the Rio Frio without opposition, and on the 10th reached 
Ayotla. Here a careful reconnoissance was made of the position 



DESCRIPTION OFCHURUBUSCO. 633 

El Penon, a fortification strongly defended by both nature and 
art. It had also been garrisoned with so much care, that Gene- 
ral Scott determined to avoid it by marching round Lake Chalco, 
over a road discovered by General Worth. On the evening of 
the 17th, Worth's division arrived near San Antonio, after a most 
toilsome march over a rugged, broken road. On the following- 
day Captain Thornton was killed while reconnoitering the Mexi- 
can position. The troops lay on their arms all night, and on the 
following day, at one o'clock p. m., Generals Smith and Twiggs 
attacked Contreras. This strong fortress was carried before day- 
light of the 20th. An officer thus describes the taking of Chu- 
rubusco. 

" Meanwhile General Worth had made a demonstration on 
San Antonio, where the enemy was fortified in a strong hacienda ; 
but they retired, on his approach, to Churubusco, where the works 
were deemed impregnable. They consisted of a fortified hacienda, 
which w^as surrounded by a high and thick wall on all sides. 
Inside the wall w*as a stone building, the roof of which was flat 
and higher than the walls. Above all this was a stone church, 
still higher than the rest, and having a large steeple. The wall 
w^as pierced with loopholes, and so arranged that there were two 
tiers of men firing at the same time. They thus had four differ- 
ent ranges of men firing at once, and four ranks were formed on 
each range and placed at such a height that they could not only 
overlook all the surrounding country, but at the same time they 
had a plunging fire upon us. Outside the hacienda, and com- 
pletely comtnanding the avenues of approach, was a field-work 
extending around two sides of the work and protected by a deep, 
wet ditch, and armed with, seven large pieces. This hacienda is 
at the commencement of the causeway leading to the western 
gate of the city, and had to be passed before getting on tlie road. 
About three hundred yards in the rear of this work, another 
field-work had been built where a cross road meets the causeway, 
at a point where it crosses a river, thus forming a bridge head, 
or tete de pont. This was also very sti'ong and armed with three 
very large pieces of cannon. The works were surrounded on 
every side by large corn-fields, which were filled with the 
enemy's skirmishers, so that it was difficult to make a reconnois- 

80 



634 



BATTLE OF C 11 U R U B U S C O. 




Battle of Churubiisco. 



sance. It was therefore decided to malve the attaclc immediately, 
as they were full of men and extended for nearly a mile on the 
road to the city, completely covering the causeway. The attack 
commenced about one p. i\i. General Twiggs's division attacked 
on the side towards which they approached the fort, /. e., opposite 
the city. General Worth's attaclvod the bridge head which he 
took in about an hour and a half; while Generals Pillow and 
Quitman were on the extreme left, betvv-een the causev/ay and 
Twiggs's division. The rifles were on the left, and in the rear 
of the worlv, intrusted by General Scott with the task of charging 
the work in case General Pierce gave way. The firing was most 
tremendous — in fact one continued roll while the combat lasted. 
The enemy, from their elevated position, could readily see our 
men, who were unable to get a clear view from their position. 
Three of the pieces were manned by " The Deserters,'" a body 
of about one hundred, whe had deserted from the ranks of our 



BATTLE OF CHIJRUBFSCO. 



635 




army during tlie war. They were enrolled in Uvo companies, 
commanded by a deserter, and were better uniformed and disci- 
plined than the rest of the army. Tliese men fought most des- 
perately, and are said not only to have sljot down several of our 
officers whom they knew, but to have pulled down the white 
flag of surrender no less than three times. 

HE battle raged most furiously 
for about three liours, when 
both sides having lost a great 
many, the enemy began to 
give way. As soon as they commenced 
retreating, Kearny's squadron passed 
through the tete de pont, and charging 
through the retreating column, pur- 
sued them to the very gate of the city. 
As they got within about five hundred 
yards of the gate, they were opened upon with grape and 
canister, and several officers wounded. 

" The official returns give our loss in killed and wounded at 
eleven hundred and fifty, besides officers. The Mexican loss is 
five hundred killed in the second battle, one thousand wounded, 
and eleven hundred prisoners, exclusive of officers. Three more 
generals were taken, among them General Rincon, and Anaya, 
the provisional president ; also ten pieces of cannon, and an im- 
mense amount of ammunition and stores, Santa Anna, in his re- 
port, states his loss in killed, wounded, and missing, at twelve 
thousand. He has only eighteen thousand left out of thirty 
thousand, which he gives as his force on the 20tli, in both 




Mindful of the desire, so often expressed by President Polk, to 
conquer a peace, General Scott halted his victorious troops 
within sight of the capital, and offered terms of an armistice pre- 
paratory to the opening of negotiations for a peace. The offer 
was gladly accepted, and an armistice concluded on the following 
terms : 

Art. 1. Hostilities shall instantly and absolutely cease between 
the armies of the United States of America and the United Mexi- 
can States, within thirty leagues of the capital of the latter states, 



636 THE ARMISTICE. 



to allow time to the commissioners appointed by the United 
States and the commisioners to be appointed by the Mexican 
republic to negotiate. 

2. The armistice shall continue as long as the commissioners 
of the two oovernments may be engaged on negotiations, or until 
the commander of either of the said armies shall give formal 
notice to the other of the cessation of the armistice for forty-eight 
hours after such notice. 

3. In the mean time, neither army shall, within thirty leagues 
of the city of Mexico, commence any new fortification or military 
work of offence or defense, or do any thing to enlarge or 
strengthen any existing work or fortification of that character 
within the said limits. 

4. Neither army shall be reinforced within the same. Any 
reinforcements in troops or munitions of war, other than subsist- 
ence now approaching either army, shall be stopped at the dis- 
tance of twenty-eight leagues from the city of Mexico. 

5. Neither army, or any detachment from it, shall advance 
beyond the line it at present occupies. 

6. Neither army, nor any detachment, or individual of either, 
shall pass the neutral limits established by the last article, ex- 
cept under a flag of truce bearing the correspondence between 
the two armies, or on the business authorized by the next article ; 
and individuals of either army, who may chance to straggle 
within the neutral limits, shall, by the opposite party, be kindly 
warned off, or sent back to their own armies under flags of truce. 

7. The American army shall not, by violence, obstruct the 
passage from the open country into the city of Mexico, of the 
ordinary supplies of food necessary to the consumption of its in- 
habitants, or the Mexican army within the city ; nor shall the 
Mexican authorities, civil or military, do any act to obstruct the 
passage of supplies from the city or country, needed by the Ame- 
rican army. 

8. All American prisoners of war remaining in the hands of 
the Mexican army, and not heretofore exchanged, shall imme- 
diately, or as soon as practicable, be restored to the American 
army, against a like number, having regard to rank, of Mexican 
prisoners captured by the American army. 



THE ARMISTICE. 



637 



9. All American citizens who were establislied in the city of 
Mexico prior to the existing war, and who have since been ex- 
pelled from that city, shall be allowed to return to their respect- 
ive business or families therein, without delay or molestation. 

10. The better to enable the belligerent armies to execute these 
articles, and to favour the great object of peace, it is further 
agreed between the parties, that any courier with despatches 
that either army shall desire to send along the line from the city 
of Mexico or its vicinity, to and from Vera Cruz, shall receive a 
safe conduct from the commander of the opposing army. 

11. The administration of justice between Mexicans, according 
to the general and state constitutions and laws, by the local au- 
thorities of the towns and places occupied by the American 
forces, shall not be obstructed in any manner. 

12. Persons and property shall be respected in the towns and 
places occupied by the American forces. No person shall be 
molested in the exercise of his profession ; nor shall the services 
of any one be required without his consent. In all cases ^^■here 
services are voluntarily rendered, a just price shall be paid, and 
trade remain unmolested. 

13. Those wounded prisoners who may desire to remove to 
some more convenient place, for the purpose of being cured of 
their wounds, shall ])e allowed to do so witliout molestation, they 
still remaining prisoners. 

14. The Mexican medical officers who may wish to attend 
the wounded, shall have the privilege of doing so, if their ser- 
vices be required. 

15. For the more perfect execution of this agreement, two 
commissioners shall be appointed, one by each party, who, in 
case of disagreement, shall appoint a third. 

16. This convention shall have no force or effect, unless ap- 
proved by their excellencies, the commanders, respectively, of the 
two armies, within twenty -four hours, reckoning from the sixth 
hour of the 23d day of August, 1847. 

During the cessation of hostilities, court-martials, appointed by 
General Scott, tried and sentenced Sergeant Riley, and seventy 
others, w^ho had deserted at various times. Fifty were hung. The 
remainder, including the sergeant, having joined the Mexicans 

3 H 



638 



SENTENCE OF DESERTERS. 



prior to the declaration of war, were branded, publicly whipped, 
sentenced to solitary confinement, with a chain and ball while 
the army shall remain in Mexico, and afterwards to be drummed 
out of service. All these men were captured fighting desperately 
at Churu]jusco. 

Overtures of peace were now made by Mr. Trist, the American 
plenipotentiary, who agreed that the United States should pay a 
certain sum for California, and retain Texas with the Rio Grande 
as the boundary. To the latter condition the Mexicans woidd 
not assent. On the 2d of September, Mr. Trist handed in his 
ultimatum on boundaries, and the negotiators adjourned to re- 
assemble on the 6th. 




Mexican Officer. 



THE ARMISTICE VIOLATED EY SANTA ANNA. 639 






City of I\Iexico, 



CHAPTER IX. 

ENERAL SCOTT thus details tlie opera- 
tions subsequent to the meeting of the com- 
missioners : 

"Some infi-actions of llie truce, in respect 
to om* supplies from the cit}^ were earlier 
committed, follo^\■ed by apolooios, on tlie 
part of the enemy. Those vexations I was ^villing to ])ut down 
to the imbecility of the governiuent, and waived ])ointed demands 
of reparation while an\' hojie remained of a satisfactorj' termina- 
tion of the war. But on the 5th, and more fully on the 6th, I 
learned that as soon as \X\(^ uUimaiimi had been considered in a 
grand council of ministers and others, President Saiila Anna, on 
tlie 4th or 5th, without giving jue the slightest notii^e, actively 
recommenced strengthening the military defenses of the city, in 
gross violation of the third article of the armistice. 

*• On that information, which has since received the fullest veri- 




640 , STORMING OF CHAPULTEPEC. 

fi cation, I addressed to him my note of the 6th. His reply, dated 
the same day, received the next . morning, was absolutely and 
notoriously false, both in recrimination and explanation. I in- 
close copies of both papers, and have had no subsequent cor- 
respondence with the enemy. Being delayed by the terms 
of the armistice more than two weeks, we had now, late on the 
7th, to begin to reconnoiter the different approaches to the city, 
within our reach, before I could lay down any definite plan of 
attack. 

" The same afternoon a large body of the enemy was discovered 
hovering about the Molinos del Rey, within a mile and a third 
of this village, where I am quartered with the general staif and 
Worth's division. 

" It might have been supposed that an attack upon us was in- 
tended ; but knowing the great value to the enemy of those 
mills, (Molinos del Rey,) containing a cannon foundry, with a 
large deposit of powder in Casa Mata near them ; and having 
heard, two days before, that many church bells had been sent 
out to be cast into guns, the enemy's movement was easily un- 
derstood, and I resolved at once, to drive him early the next 
morning, to seize the })owder, and to destroy the foundry. 

" Another motive for this decision — leaving the general plan of 
attack upon the city for full reconnoissances — was, that we knew 
our recent captures had left the enemy not a fourth of the guns 
necessary to arm, all at the same time, the strong works at each 
of the eight city gates ; and we could not cut the communica- 
tion between the capital and the foundry without first taking the 
formidable castle on the heights of Chapultepec, which overlooked 
both and stood between." 

The management of this important assault was intrusted to 
Major-General Worth. He describes his operations as follows : 

" Having, in the course of tlie 7th, accompanied the general- 
in-chief, on a reconnoissance of the formidable dispositions of the 
enemy, near and around the castle of Chapultepec, they were 
found to exhibit an extended line of cavalry and infantry, sus- 
tained by a field-battery of foiu" guns — occupying directly, or 
sustaining, a system of defenses collateral to the castle and sum- 
mit. This examination gave fair observation of the confiiruration 



STORMING OF CHAPULTEPEC. 641 




of the grounds, and the extent of the enemy's force, but, as appeared 
in the sequel, an inadequate idea of the nature of his defenses — 
they being skilfully masked. 

HE general-in-chief ordered tljat my di- 
vision, reinforced, should attack and carry 
those lines and defenses, capture the 
enemy's artillery, destroy the machinery 
and material supposed to be in the foundry 
(El Molino del Rey) ; but limiting the 
operations to that extent. After which my 
command was to be immediately withdrawn 
to its position in the village of Tacubaya. 

" A close and daring reconnoissance by Captain Mason, of the 
engineers, made on the morning of the 7th, represented the 
enemy's lines collateral to Chapultepec to be as follows : his left 
rested upon and occupied a group of strong stone buildings, 
called El Molino del Rey, adjoining the grove at the foot of the 
hill of Chapultepec, and directly under the guns of the castle 
which crowns its summit. The right of this line rested upon 
another stone building, called Casa Mata, situated at the foot of 
the ridge that slopes gradually from the heights above the vil- 
lage of Tacubaya to the plain below\ Midway between these 
buildings was the enemy's field-battery, and his infantry forces 
were disposed on either side to support it. This reconnoissance 
M-as veriiied by Captain Mason and Colonel Duncan, on the 
afternoon of the same day. The result indicated that the centre 
was the w^eak point of the enemy's position, and that his flanks 
were the strong points, his left flank being the stronger. 

"As the enemy's system of defense was connected witli the hill 
and castle of Chapultepec, and as my operations w^ere limited to 
a specific object, it became necessary to isolate the work to be 
accomplished from the castle of Chapultepec and its immediate 
defenses. To effect this object, the following dispositions were 
ordered : Colonel Garland's brigade to take position on the right, 
strengtliened by two pieces of Captain Drum's battery, to look 
to El Molino del Rey as well as any support of this position from 
Chapultepec ; and also within sustaining distance of the assault- 
ing party and the battering guns, which, under Captain linger, 

3 n 2 81 



642 STORMING OF CHAPULTEPEC. 



were placed on the ridge, five or six hundred yards from El 
Molino del Rey, to batter and loosen this position from Cliapul- 
topec. An assaulting party of five hundred picked men and 
officers, under command of Brevet Major George Wright, 8th 
infantry was also posted on the ridge to the left of the battering 
guns to force the enemy's centre. The 2d (Clark's) brigade, the 
command of which devolved on Colonel Mcintosh, Colonel Clark 
'being sick, with Duncan's battery, was to take post still farther 
up tlie ridge, opposite the enemy's right, to look to our left flank, 
to sustain the assaulting column, if necessary, or to discomfit the 
enemy, the ground being favourable, as circumstances might 
rerpiire. Cadwalader's brigade was held in reserve, in a position 
on the ridge, between the battering guns and Mcintosh's brigade, 
and in easy support of either. The cavalry, under Major Sum- 
ner, to envelope our extreme left, and be governed by circum- 
stances — to repel or attack, as the commander's judgment might 
suggest. The troops to be put in ]iosition under cover of the 
night, and the work to Ijegin as soon as the heavy material could 
be properly directed. Colonel Duncan was charged with the 
general disposition of the artillery. 

" Accordingly, at three o'clock on the morning of the 8th, tlie 
several columns were put in motion, on as many different routes; 
and, when the gray of the morning enabled them to be seen, 
they were as accurately in position as if posted in midday for 
review. The early da^qi was tlie moment appointed for the 
attack, which was announced to our troops by the opening of 
Huger's guns on El Molino del Rey, upon which they continued 
to play actively, until this point of the enemy's line became 
sensibly sliaken, when the assaulting party, commanded by 
Wright, and guided by that accomplished officer, Ca})tain Mason, 
of the engineers, assisted by Lieutenant Foster, dashed gallantly 
forward to the assault. Unshaken by the galling fire of musketry 
and canister tliat was showered upon them, on they rushed, 
driving infantry and artillerymen at the point of the bayonet. 
The enemy's lield-ljattery was taken, and his own guns were 
trailed upon his retreating masses ; before, however, they could 
be discharged, perceiving that lie had been dispossessed of this 
strong po.sition by com|)arativcly a handful of men, he made a 



Ml 



ASSAULT ON THE CAS A MATA. 643 



desperate effort to regain it. Accordingly liis retirinp- forces 
rallied and formed with this object. Aided by the inflmtry, 
which covered the house tops, (within reach of which tlic battery 
had been moved during the night,) the enemy's whole line opened 
upon the assaulting party a terrific fire of musketrj^ which 
struck down eleven out o^ ihQ. fouriten officers that composed the 
command, and non-commissioned offi.cers and men in proportion ; 
including, amongst the officers. Brevet Major Wi'ight, the com- 
mander; Captain Mason and Lieutenant Foster, engineers : all 
severely w^ounded. 

"This severe shock staggered, for a moment, that gallant 
band! The light battalion, held to cover Huger's battery, under 
Captain E. Kirby Smith, (Lieutenant-Colonel Smith being sick,) 
and the right w^ing of Cadwalader's brigade, were promptly 
ordered forward to support, which order was executed in the 
most gallant style ; the enemy was again routed, and this point 
of his line carried, and fully possessed by our troops. In the 
mean time. Garland's, (1st) brigade, ably sustained by Captain 
Drum's artillery, assaulted the enemy's left, and, after an obsti- 
nate and very severe contest, drove him from this apparently 
impregnable position, immediately under the guns of the castle 
of Chapultepec. Drum's section, and the battering guns under 
Captain Huger, advanced to the enemy's position, and the cap- 
tured guns of the enemy were now opened on his retreating 
forces, on which they continued to fire until beyond their reach. 

'' While this w^ork w^as in progress of accomplishment, by our 
centre and right, our troops on the left were not idle. Duncan's 
battery opened on the right of the enemy's line, up to this time 
engaged ; and the 2d brigade, under Colonel Mcintosh, was now 
ordered to assault the extreme right of the enemy's line. The 
direction of this brigade soon caused it to mask Duncan's battery 
— the fire of which, for the moment was discontinued — and the 
brigade moved steadily on to the assault of Casa ]\Iata, which, 
instead of an ordinary field intrenchment, as was supposed, 
proved to be a strong stone citadel, surrounded wdth bastioned 
intrenchments and impassable ditches — an old Spanish work, 
recently repaired and enlarged. When within easy musket 
range, the enemy opened a most deadly fire upon our advancing 




644 CAPTURE OF THE CASA MATA. 

troops, which was kept up, without intermission, until our gal- 
lant men reached the very slope of- the parapet of the work that 
surrounded the citadel. By this time a large proportion of the 
command was either killed or wounded, amongst whom were 
the three senior officers present — Brevet Colonel Mcintosh, Bre- 
vet Lieutenant-Colonel Scott, of the 5th infantry, and Major 
Waite, 8th infantry; the second killed, and the first and last 
desperately wounded. Still, the fire from the citadel was 
unabated. In this crisis of the attack, the command was, 
momentarily, thrown into disorder, and fell back on the left of 
Duncan's battery, where they rallied. 

S the 2d brigade moved to the assault, a 
very large cavalry and infantry force was 
discovered approaching rapidly upon our 
left fiank, to reinforce the enemy's right. 
As soon as Duncan's battery was masked, 
as before mentioned, supported by An- 
drew's voltigeurs, of Cadwalader's brigade, 
it moved promptly to the extreme left of our line, to check the 
threatened assault on this point. The enemy's cavalry came 
rapidly within canister range, when the whole battery opened 
a most effective fire, which soon brolve the squadrons, and drove 
them back in disorder. During this fire upon the enemy's 
cavalry. Major Sumner's command moved to the front, and 
changed direction in admirable order, under a most appalling 
fire from the Casa Mata. This movement enabled his com- 
mand to cross the ravine immediately on the left of Duncan's 
battery, where it remained, doing noble service until the close 
of the action. At the very moment the cavalry were driven be- 
yond reach, our own troops drew back from before the Casa 
Mata, and enabled the guns of Duncan's battery to reopen upon 
this position ; which, after a short and well-directed fire, the 
enemy abandoned. The guns of the battery were now turned 
upon his retreating columns, and continued to play upon them 

until beyond reach. 

" He was now driven from every point of the field, and his 
strong lines, M'hich had certainly been defended well, were in 
our possession. In fulfilment of the instructions of the com- 



jft, 



WORTH RETURNS TO TACUBAYA. 



645 




Tacubaya. 

mander-in-chief, the Casa Mata was blown up, and siicli of the 
captured ammunition as was useless to us, as well as the cannon 
moulds found in El Molino del Rey, were destroyed. After 
which my command under the reiterated orders of the General- 
in-chief, returned to quarters at Tacubaya, with three of the 
enemy's four guns, (the fourth having been spiked, was rendered 
unserviceable ;) as also a large quantity of small arms, with gun 
and musket ammunition, and exceeding eight hundred prisoners, 
including fiftjMwo commissioned officers. 

" By concurrent testimony of prisoners the enemy's force ex- 
ceeded fourteen thousand men commanded by General Santa 
Anna in person. His total loss, killed, including the second and 
third in command, (Generals Valdarez and Leon,) wounded and 
prisoners, amounts to three thousand, exclusive of some two 
thousand who deserted after the route. 

" My command, reinforced as before stated, only reached three 
thousand one hundred men of all arms. The contest continued 
two hours, and its severity is painfully attested by our heavy 
loss of officers, non-commissioned othcers, and privates, including 



646 DESCRIPTION OF DEFENSES, 

in the first two classes some of the brightest ornaments of the 
service." 

This victory prepared the way for more important ones. The 
time from the 8th to the 11th was spent in careful reconnoissances 
of the defenses around the capital. A description of these we 
give in General Scott's own words : 

" This city (Mexico) stands on a slight swell of ground, near 
the centre of an irregular basin, and is girdled with a ditch in 
its greater extent — a navigable canal of great breadth and depth 
— very difficult to bridge in the presence of an enemy, and 
serving at once for drainage, custom-house purposes, and mili- 
tary defense ; having eight entrances or gates over arches, — 
each of which we found defended by a system of strong works, 
that seemed to require nothing but some men and guns to be 
impregnable. Outside, and within the cross-fires of those gates, 
we found to the south other obstacles, little less formidable. All 
the approaches near the city are elevated causeways, cut in 
many places, (to oppose us,) and flanked on both sides by 
ditches, also of unusual dimensions. The numerous cross-roads 
are flanked in like manner, having bridges at the intersections, 
recently broken. The meadows thus checkered are, moreover, 
in many spots, under water, or marshy ; for, it will be remem- 
bered, we were in the midst of the wet season, though with less 
rain than usual, and we could not wait for the fall of the neigh- 
bouring lakes, and the consequent drainage of the wet grounds 
at the edge of the city." 

N order to save the lives of his men, by avoid- 
ing these formidable obstacles. General Scott 
determined on a sudden and secret movement 
to the south-west, where the defenses were 
feeljle. This was admirably executed, the 
enemy mistaking a feint for the real march, 
until it was too late to retrieve themselves. 

The most important step in the new movement was the cap- 
ture of Chapultepec, a natural and isolated mound, of great ele- 
vation, strongly fortified at its base. Besides a numerous garrison, 
there was stationed at this place the military college of the republic, 
containing a large number of sub-lieutenants and other students. 




STORMING OF CHAPULTEPEC. 



647 





Chapultcpec. 

The bombardment of this strong place was coranienccd on the 
morning of the l'2th, and continued with great activitj, under 
the direction of Captain Huger, throughout the day. It was re- 
new*ed on the following day, and kept up until eight o'clock, 
when General Scott gave signal to the divisions of Pillow and 
Quitman for a general assault. This was promptly obeyed by 
both columns ; Avhile as the troops advanced, the batteries threw 
shot and shell over their heads into the castle. Pillow dislodged 
a number of sharp shooters from an open grove, and emerged 
from it in front of the works. Here he was severclj" wounded, 
and the command devolved on General Cadwalader. This officer 
found before him a broken acclivity, commanded by a strong 
redoubt, both to be surmounted before reaching the castle. His 
troops, however, pushed forward over rocks, chasms, and ruins, 
although exposed to fidl range of the enemy's fire. I'he redoubt 
yielded to resistless valour, and the enemy were so closely pur- 
sued as to be unable to fire a single mine Avithout blowing up 
lend and foe. Then the ditcdi and wall of the main worlc were 



648 



WORTH S PURSUIT OF THE ENEMY. 




reached ; scaling-ladders planted, and hundreds rushed over 
among the garrison. The cannon ceased, and the dire clashing 
of bayonets told of mortal strife. This also ceased, and long, 
loud cheers announced that Chapultepec had fallen. 

..f?IMULTANEOUSLY with the 



/^ movement on the v/est, General 



:^>f^v«;fS/AV' Quitman had approached on the 
east, over a causeway, with cuts 
and batteries, defended by troops 
without and within. Deep ditches 
flanking the causeway, made it 
difficult to cross on either side, 
into the adjoining meadows, and 
these again were intersected by other ditches. By skilful 
manuoevering, the New York, South Carolina, and 2d Pennsyl- 
vania volunteers, with portions of Quitman's storming parties, 
crossed the meadows in front, under a heavy fire, and entered 
the outer inclosure of Chapultepec, in time to join in the final 
assault from the west. 

In the commencement of this brilliant affair. General Worth 
had been stationed in rear of the castle, to act as circumstances 
might require. During the attack, one brigade had been with- 
drawn by Pillow, to assist his movements ; and on observing a 
large party of the enemy outside the works, General Scott 
ordered him to turn Chapultepec with his division, proceeding 
cautiously by the road at its northern base, in order, if not met 
by very superior numbers, to threaten and attack the rear of 
that force. Worth promptly obeyed these directions, although 
having but one brigade. In turning a forest, he came up with 
the troops under Colonel Trousdale, and aided in taking a Ijreast- 
work. Then passing Chapultepec, he attacked the right of the 
enemy's line, at the time of the general retreat consequent upon 
the capture of the castle. After this he entered the San Cosme 
road, and commenced a rapid pursuit of the flying enemy. At 
the same time Quitman Avas hurrying forward by the Belin 
aqueduct. 

Deeming the continuance of this pursuit highly important, 
General Scott sent two briijades-to assist Worth, and one for'the 



m 



DEPUTATION TO GENERAL SCOTT. 



649 



same purpose to Quitman. At a junction of tlic roads tliey 
found a formidable system of defenses, entirely abandoned. Into 
tliese Worth's troops entered, and commenced a street fight with 
the enemy, who were posted in gardens, at windows, and on 
house tops. Worth ordered forward the mountain howitzers of 
Cadwalader's brigade, preceded by skirmishers and pioneers, 
with bars and axes, to force doors and windows, and to burrow 
through v/alls. Soon the assailants were in an equality of 
position with the enemy, and by eight o'clock, p. ji., had carried 
two batteries. This brought them in front of the San Cosme 
gate, the only remaining obstruction to the grand plaza fronting 
the cathedral and palace. Here, in obedience to instructions, 
Worth halted, posted guards and sentinels, and placed his troops 
under shelter for the night. 

Meanwhile, Quitman, assisted by Generals Shields and Smith, 
had passed rapidly along the other road, carried a battery in the 
face of flank and direct fires, stormed the Belen gate at two 
o'clock, and entered the city. Here he halted, sheltered himself 
as well as practicable, and waited for further instructions. 

T four o'clock next morning, a deputation 
of the city council waited on General 
Scott, to report that tlie army and federal 
government had fled from the city about 
midnight, in consequence of which they 
demanded terms of capitulation. The 
general replied, that he would sign no 
capitulation, nor submit to any terms not 
self-imposed — such only as the honour of 
his army, the dignity of his country, and the spirit of the age 
demanded. 

About dayliglit. Worth and Quitman were ordered to advance 
slowly and cautiously toward the heart of the city, and occupy 
its commanding points. The latter officer proceeded to the 
great square, planted guards, and hoisted the colours of the 
United States on the National Palace. At about eiglit o'clock, 
the general-in-chief, dressed in full uniform, accompanied by his 
staff, and escorted by bands of music, entered the city, at the 
head of his arm}^ Before noon, a fire was opened upon the 

31 " 83 




650 SCOTT PROCLAIMS M A II T I A- L LAW. 

Americans, from the corners of streets, windows, and roofs of 
houses, by some two thousand convicts, liberated the night be- 
fore by the fljdng government. This cowardly war lasted more 
than twenty-four hours, notwithstanding all the exertions of the 
municipal authorities, and was not putdov/n until the army had 
lost many men killed and wounded, including several officers. 
General (Quitman was appointed military governor of the city, 
and Captain Naylor superintendent of the National Palace. The 
former returning soon after to the United States, was succeeded 
by General Smith. 

General Scott thus sums up the great achievements of his 
army : 

"This small force (eight thousand men) has beaten on the 
same occasions, in view of the capital, the whole Mexican army, 
of (at the beginning) thirty odd thousand men — posted always 
in chosen positions, behind intrenchments, or more formidable 
defenses of nature and art ; killed or wounded of that number 
more than seven thousand officers and men ; taken three thou- 
sand seven hundred and thirty prisoners, one-seventh officers, in- 
cluding thirteen generals, of whom three had been presidents of 
this republic ; captured more than twenty colours and standards, 
seventy-five pieces of ordnance, besides fifty-seven wall pieces, 
twenty thousand small arms, an immense quantity of shot, shells, 
powder, &c." 

General Scott's loss in the battles of August, was one thou- 
sand and fifty-two men, of whom seventy-six were officers ; on the 
8th of September, seven hundred and eighty-nine, of whom fifty- 
eight were officers ; before the capital, eight hundred and sixty- 
two men, including seventy-eight officers; total, two thousand 
seven hundred and three, including three hundred and eighty- 
three officers. 

Having thus obtained complete possession of Mexico, General 
Scott proclaimed martial law, and levied a contribution upon the 
inhabitants. Business was resumed, and the city again became 
quiet and cheerful. Two months after, a proclamation was 
issued, requesting the inhabitants of other cities to lay down arms, 
and declaring the determination of the commander to spread his 
army over the coiuitrv, in order to enforce ol)edience. 



REVOLT IX PUEBLA. 



651 




Piiebla de los Angelos. 



During these operations before tlie capital, a revolt had taken 
place in Piiehla, which forced the American governor, Colonel 
Childs, to take refuge in the fortresses of San Jose, Loreto, and 
Guadaloupe. Here he Avas shut up by the inhal)itants, and a 
bombardment commenced on the 14th of September, which 
lasted twenty-eight days. The enemy cut off all supplies, and 
attempted to change the direction of a stream of water, run- 
ning through San Jose. The Americans were fired upon from 
houses, streets, forts, and mounds ; and frequently the bombard- 
ment continued through the entire niglit. 

On the 22d, Santa Anna arrived with large reinforcements 
from Mexico, and on the 25th demanded a surrender. This was 
refused. A combined attack then commenced, and continued 
until tlie 2d of October, when a revolt of Santa Anna's troops 
obli"-ed him to withdraw. Takini^ advantacre of this. Colonel 
Childs detached two parties on a sortie. Captain Wm. F. Small, 
who conducted one of them, succeeded in destroying a barricade 
of one hundred and fifty cotton bales, and driving back the enemy 
with a loss of seventeen men. The bcsieg-ers, altliouorh con- 



652 



BATTLE OF HUAMANTLA. 



siderably disheartened, continued their operations until the 12th, 
when General Lane arrived at the city with large reinforce- 
ments for the American army, and soon cleared it of the enemy. 
In his march to Puebla, Lane had encountered the forces of 
Santa Anna, at the town of Huamantla, (October 9th.) Leaving 
his train paclved at the hacienda of Tamaris, he sent forward 
part of his forces, with Captain Walker's mounted men in ad- 
vance, with instructions to drive the enemy from the town. 
When within about three miles, Walker observed parties of 
horsemen galloping in the same direction, and accordingly 
pushed forward at a rapid pace toward Huamantla. At the 
same time, about two thousand lancers came over the neighbour- 
ing hills, unseen by Walker, and approached the town. 

On arriving near the main plaza. Captain Walker discovered 
about five hundred of the enemy drawn up there, and imme- 
diately ordered a charge. The Mexicans were defeated, and 
driven tVirough the city, until the arrival of their reinforcements. 
After fighting three-quarters of an hour, the captain succeeded 
in taking two pieces of artillery, but was not able to use them. 
Lnmediately after this success, the gallant and chivalric Walker 
was mortally wounded. Perhaps no officer, sacrificed in our 
struggle with Mexico, was ever more sincerely lamented. The 
total loss of the Americans was thirteen killed, and eleven 
wounded ; that of the enemy more than one hundred. One brass 
six-pounder, a mountain howitzer, with some wagons, and a 
large quantity of ammunition were captured. 

=^^i-ENERAL LANE remained in Puebla 
^'^■^ until the 18th, when, ascertaining that 
General Rea, with a considerable Mexi- 
can force, was at Atlisco, he ordered a 
movement for that })lace on the following morn- 
ing. The march was commenced about noon 
of the 19th, and at four p. m., the advance 
guard of the enemy vras discovered near Santa 
Isabella. A running fight took place, over a distance of four 
miles, when the Mexican main army appeared, ranged on a hill 
behind chaparral hedges. The cavalry dashed among them, 
and a bloody conflict ensued, attended with great loss to the 




CAPTURE OF GUAYMAS AND MAZATLAX. 



653 



enemy. They finally retreated, and were pursued to the town. 
Night had now arrived, but a fine moonlight rendered it still 
possible to continue operations. " Deeming it unsafe," says 
General Lane, " to risk a street fight in an unknown town, at 
night, I ordered the artillery to be posted on a hill, near to the 
town, and overlooking it, and opened its fire. Now ensued one 
of the most beautiful sights conceivable. Every gun was served 
with the utmost rapidity ; and the crash of the walls and the 
roofs of tlie houses, ^vlien struck by our shot and shells, ^\"as 
mingled with the roar of our artillery. The bright light of the 
moon enabled us to direct our shots to the most thickly popu- 
lated parts of the town." 

This bombardment continued three-quarters of an hour, when 
the general was waited on by the city council, who desired that 
the town might be spared. This was granted, and after destroy- 
ing considerable military stores ai^d arms, Lane left next morn- 
ing for Puebla. His loss was one killed, and one wounded ; 
that of the enemy, two hundred and nineteen killed, and three 
hun d red wounded . 

Li the same month the towns of Guaymas and Mazatlan were 
taken by a portion of the American fleet. On the 15th the Ports- 
mouth sloop of war anchored off the port of the former, and was 
joined soon after bv the frigate Congress, and the brio- Aro-o. 
The town was twice summoned to surrender, and on the lOtli 
was abandoned by the Mexican army. At six o'clock next morn- 
ing the Americans opened their fire from both vessels of war, and 
the two mortars, and continued it for more than an hour. They 
discharged into the town more than five hundred shot. One 
English resident was killed, some houses were burned, and 
others entirely destroyed. The town then submitted without 
further resistance. About the same time four ships of war took 
possession of the port of Mazatlan. 

On the 23d of November General Lane had another battle 
with the enemy at Matamoras. We give the account nearly in 
his own words : 

" Having been crcdi1)ly informed tliat the enemy were in force, 
at Matamoras, with some artillery, and that a military depot M-as 
there established, at which a large quantity of munitions of war 

3i2 



654 BATTLE OF MAT A MORAS. 



and other piiLlic property liad l^cen collected, and also tliat several 
American soldiers were confined there, in close imprisonment, I 
moved from Puebla toward that place at seven o'clock, on the 
evening of the 22d instant, with one piece of artillery, and one 
hundred and sixty men. Although retarded by five hours rain, 
we reached Matamoras at seven o'clock on the 23d — accomplish- 
ing a march of fifty four miles in twelve hours. Coming upon 
the advance guard of the enemy, we charged and drove them in 
upon the main body. In this short and sanguinary action from 
sixty to eighty of the enemy were killed and wounded. We did 
not lose a man. Twenty-one American soldiers were set free, 
and restored to the service, armed with muskets and mounted 
upon horses taken from the enemy. Three pieces of bronzed 
artillery, twelve tons of shot, twelve boxes of fixed ammunition, 
twenty-seven bales escopette and musJ^et balls, seven bales slow 
and quick matches, five hundred muskets, five hundred sabres, 
one hundred horses, medical stores and other public property 
fell into our hands. Of these the muskets, ammunition, artillery, 
and sabres were distributed among the men ; the remainder 
destroyed. 

ARL Y on the morning of the 24th, we moved 
. '-V. H, toward Puebla. While movinpr vvith diffi- 
jj^C^ culty through a long mountainous pass (Pass 
de Galaxra) five miles from Matamoras, the 
train became considerably extended. Tlie 
\^ artillery and four wagons containing captured 
property, and driven by Mexicans, had fallen 
in the rear, and were slowly progressing under my immediate 
superintendence, when it was reported that the enemy had ap- 
peared in front. Colonel Hays was immediately ordered to 
repair to the head of the column, and to engage the enemy with 
the advance guard. He formed a small party of observation, 
pursued by about two hundred lancers. These he charged, 
broke and pursued across an extended plain, and up a long 
precipitous ascent, toward the mountains from which they had 
made the attack. Here they were reinforced by a reserve of 
five hundred lancers, under General Rea. As Hays's men 
numbered but about thirty-five, and were not only destitute of 




NEGOTIATIONS OF PEACE. 655 

sabres, but had previously discharged their revolvers and rifles, 
he ordered them to retire to their original position. This order 
they coolly obeyed under the fall charge of all the lancers. When 
the colonel reached the main body, the artillery opened upon ihe 
Mexicans, and they retired to the neighbouring mountains. Our 
loss was two killed and two wounded. 

" At aliout ten o'clock a. im. of the Soth, we arrived at Atlisco. 
After four hours' repose we moved on to Puelila, where we 
arrived without further molestation, at two o'clock in the after- 
noon, having been absent sixty hours." 

On the 12th of January, 1848, Colonel Hays with about one 
hundred rangers, and a few Illinois volunteers, was sent in pur- 
suit of the Padre Jarauta. On arriving at a hacienda near Teo- 
tihuacan, tlie party halted, unsaddled their horses, and lay down 
in careless repose. While in this condition, they were suddenly 
attacked by the padre and a party of guerillas. A sharp contest 
ensued, which lasted several minutes. About one liundred and 
fifty shots were lired by the rangers, and one hundred by the 
Mexicans — the balls of the latter passing over their opponents' 
heads, without producing any effect. Eight Mexicans were 
killed, and the remainder fled in all directions. Jarauta received 
several wounds, and was observed to reel in his saddle as though 
ready to fall. The Americans escaped without injury. 

After this skirmish, little of interest transpired in either army 
until the latter end of January, when General Scott, in company 
with Mr. Trist, opened negotiations of peace with the Mexican 
commissioners, Luis G. Cuevas, Bernardo Conto, and Miguel 
Atristain, assuming as a basis the articles formerly proposed by 
Mr. Trist, and rejected by Santa Anna. The most important 
of these were the cession of a large portion of California and all 
of New Mexico to the United States, for a stipulated sum ; the 
adoption of the Rio Grande as far as the Gila, for a boundary 
between the two countries ; the surrender of all posts, cities, fort- 
resses, etc., captured during the war; and the full ratification of 
the treaty of April 5th, 1831. The new treaty also provides 
that twelve thousand American troops should remain in the city 
of Mexico, until certain obligations are complied with. The 
remainder of the army are to be withdrawn. 



656 



RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY. 



As commander-in-chief of the American army, General Scott 
accepted this treaty from t]ie Mexican congress, and forwarded 
it immediately to Wasliington. It arrived in that city on the 
20th of February, and was laid before the President, who, on 
the 2-2d, submitted it to the Senate, accompanied by a messcige. 
Considering the importance of the measure, it passed through 
that body with unexampled rapidity, being adopted with but 
slio'ht alterations on the 10th of March. The Senate being out 
of session part of the time, in consequence of the death of ex- 
president Adams. The vote stood thirty-seven to fifteen, four 
members being absent. This decided majority evinces the 
weariness with which all. parties had begun to regard tlie war, 
and the earnest desire for a speedy and honourable peace. 




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THE END 



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